Monster Monster
by BewareOfFlyingMonkeys
Summary: The night that Harry and Hermione go back in time to save Sirius Black is the night that Hermione morphs into a Dark Creature, feared and despised by the world she is a part of. Her life transforms into a tale of good and evil, of prejudice, love and friendship and of full moons.
1. Chapter 1

It was an unusual night.

A night so unusual it couldn't be credited solely to the full moon.

The Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry was no stranger to the unusual, certainly it was no stranger to the unusual phenomenon of full moon nights. This past year itself Hogwarts had witnessed a monthly transformation from man to beast and back again.

This full moon night was more than slightly stranger than the rest. This wasn't because of the Animagi, Dementors or the sole Werewolf that roamed the grounds. The strangeness was provided by four teenagers, or rather two teenagers because the two sets, consisting of a boy and a girl, were identical, down to the last DNA strand and magical core.

Harry Potter and Hermione Granger had travelled back in time.

It was, Harry reflected, the strangest thing he had done till date.

And that included the giant spiders.

Never had he experienced a night like this, running at the edges of the Forbidden Forest towards Hagrid's hut, leading a Hippogriff with an improvised leash.

But suddenly the Hippogriff couldn't be seen.

"Buckbeak" Harry whisper yelled , looking around him frantically. "Buckbeak!"

Hermione doubled back. Her face was pale and it made the angry red scratches on her skin even more prominent.

"Harry. What on earth are you doing? Where's Buckbeak?"

''Dunno Hermione, He was right here a second ago. Then I just lost him"

It didn't seem possible but her face paled even more. "Oh but Harry it isn't safe for him yet. Mcnair's still in the castle. Buckbeak's still in danger""

"I know! I know!" said harry. Her panic was now seeping into him. "Buckbeak!" He whisper yelled again. Hermione joined him this time. The two of them moved deeper into the forest away from the tree line. Harry was acutely aware of the danger they were in. the forest was not a friendly place to be even in the daylight hours, at this time of the night it was suicidal to wander about. Even meeting Mcnair or Fudge seemed like a safer option at this point.

Suddenly Hermione gripped his elbow so hard that he was sure that she was going to add to the bruises he'd already acquired over the course of the night. With a sinking feeling harry followed her petrified gaze to a spot about fifteen feet away from them.

Their death was in the form of a hulking dark shadow that followed their movements with feral, hungry eyes.

Harry eased Hermione's grip from his elbow and slid his hand into hers. Slowly the took a step back in unison and the beast stepped forward in time.

And Harry finally understood why his world was terrified of werewolves.

The creature stalking them was not kindly, sober, shabby professor Lupin. There was nothing even remotely human about the creature, even the intelligence in it's eyes did not reassure him. It was a sharp, hungry kind of intelligence, so alien that no one could mistake it for human. The kind of intelligence that maintained the food chain. The creature was the predator, they were the prey.

"Come on!" murmured Harry, he started running and he pulled Hermione along. They tripped over roots as they tried to get away from the beast. Running had changed nothing, he knew that the werewolf was going to attack none the less. All this had done was buy them a few seconds. He could hear it running behind them crashing in the undergrowth. There was no need to be subtle, they were certain prey.

And then it was on them and all Harry could do was pull Hermione to him and cover her the best he could. He failed in that too, she was a bit taller them him. The creature pounced and Hermione screamed and for one disorienting moment Harry thought that their fates had been sealed. Then Buckbeak, glorious Buckbeak came out of nowhere. He crashed against the beast and then reared up, slashing at it with the same talons that had hurt Malfoy. The beast howled and attacked. Hermione pulled at him in an effort to get both of them away from the battle. He almost fell on top of her as they scrambled away. Buckbeak attacked again and the werewolf retreated obviously not interested in competing with the hippogriff for the humans.

"Good Beaky" said a breathless Hermione , scrambling to get up from the ground and running to their savior.

"Do you think Lupin is alright?" asked Harry worried as he rubbed the hippogriff's beak.

"He'll be fine and there's nothing we can do. Come on Harry, we have to get out of here" She stopped stroking Buckbeak and he could see that the feathers there were wet with blood.

"Is he hurt?" asked Harry

"Huh?" that seemed to surprise Hermione and she looked down to where here fingers were still on his feathers. Harry saw that they too wre wet with blood. "It's nothing. It's me. Just a scratch"

And before Harry could express concern she started leading Buckbeak towards Hagrid's hut.

Just outside the door Harry hesitated.

"What is it?" Hermione asked warily.

"I just need to check something" He was sure it had been his dad who had cast the Patronus. He just needed to see it with his own eyes. Any minute now his dad would cast the patronus and save his, Hermione's and Sirius's life.

"Oh Harry, please don't be seen" she said, her tone was exasperated but he could hear how scared she was, but he had already started to walk away.

Any second now. Thought Harry as he stood by the lake. He could see the feeble glimmer of the Patronus his past self was trying to conjure. His fist curled tightly around his wand as his past self collapsed. His father had to be her, he thought. It was any moment now. His father would save him just like he had that Halloween night.

There was an odd tightening in his chest. His father wasn't there. There was no one there except him.

That's when he understood.

He flung himself out of his hiding place.

"EXPECTO PATRONUM" he yelled and something brilliant and pure burst out of his wand and galloped across the lake to scatter the gathering of dementors. It was a horse? A deer? His last guess had been close.

As it galloped back to him Harry realized what it was, what his father had left him.

"Prongs" Harry whispered.

It was a stag.

"That was a very reckless thing to do" Hermione told him as he helped her mount Buckbeak. "It could have had serious consequences!"

"Come off it Hermione, I had to do it because I'd already done it"

Hermione had seemed really nervous and scared when he got back and his news hadn't helped matters. It was very dark and he could see almost nothing besides Hermione's face that was paler than usual. Thank God the castle had almost every window lit up, he flew Buckbeak towards the shining beacon.

Hermione's grip was very loose and she seemed to be losing focus, otherwise Harry was sure she would have berated him more.

"Help me find the right window!" He yelled, flying the two of them safely required way more concentration than on a broom. The wing movements were equally unsettling, like the first time.

"That one" She aid. He had to strain to hear her.

They veered towards the right window and inside they saw a desolate Sirius whose expression turned to gratitude and awe when he saw them.

Considering all the effort they had put in up until this point, getting Sirius out of the improvised cell was a peace of cake.

"You're truly your father's son" said Sirius. Harry suspected that his voice was hoarse from more than his time in Azkaban. Harry had to blink back tears and his chest felt heavy. When would they see each other again?

"Ms. Granger, I owe you and Harry a debt that I might not be able to pay"

"It was nothing Mr. Black, you should leave now before someone notices something." Hermione said.

'It was nothing' was very generous of he considering how tense she had been throughout and how worried she was about breaking the law. Harry would have smiled but the faintness in her voice worried him. Sirius looked worried too but Harry agreed with Hermione, Sirius had to leave. And soon.

Harry shot Hermione a worried glance and then said "You two take care now. I'm very sorry about how we met Harry. I wish we'd had more time."

"We will. Someday." Harry had to believe it. For him and Sirius.

As Sirius was swallowed up into the night sky Harry turned to Hermione, prepared to find out what was wrong but she had other plans.

"We need to get back! Now!" She said and they started making their way back to the hospital wing. Hermione's hand was slick and wet and he was about to stop and demand that she tell him what was wrong when the clock started tolling. Their time was up.

Hermione was falling behind now, she couldn't keep up with the pace. Harry was leading the way and they avoided Peeves right at the last minute.

"What will happen if we don't reach before Dumbledore locks the door?" he asked, panting.

"I don't want to know, Oh! Hurry Harry!"

They ran, hearts in their throats and they reached just as Dumbledore locked their past inside the hospital wing,

"It's done professor" Harry crouched using his hands on his knees to support himself, trying to catch his breath. "They're safe".

"I have no idea what you're talking about, my dear boy" he said, unlocking the door and letting them in. But he didn't even look at them as he locked the door behind them.

Harry felt elation course through him, they had done it! Sirius was safe.

But it all changed the next instant,

"Hermione!" Ron gasped as he struggled out from under his bed clothes. With the excitement of the night Harry had forgotten about Ron and how he must have felt witnessing them leaving a second before and entering through the door the next.

He was about to reassure Ron when his expression and exclamation finally registered and he turned around.

Hermione was swaying on her feet as white as sheet, her arm bloody.

"Hermione!" Harry yelled before putting her good arm around his shoulders and helping her to a bed. "We have to call Madame Pomfrey, Ron"

"No!" Hermione protested weakly, "It's nothing really. Professor Lupin just scratched me a little, is all"

Harry looked down at the still freely bleeding wound. Fro Ron's sharp intake of breathe Harry knew that Ron had come to the same realization he had.

The bleeding wound wasn't a scratch.

It was unmistakably a bite mark.


	2. Chapter 2

AN: I'm going with movie!cannon at the moment, so Ron sees them using the time turner.

But that was a mistake on my part, one I'm not going to correct. However my aim is to stick with book!cannon.

Please do review.

Chapter 2

For Ron, the next few moments seemed to blur, the horror sinking into his mind like a struggling creature in a bog. Madam Pomfrey rushed out of the office, attuned to the hospital wing and all the suffering in it. He tore his eyes away from the Matron's face that was rapidly draining of colour and he looked at Harry who looked almost as bad as Ron felt. But Harry didn't know- Harry was too new to the wizarding world to get the significance of what had just happened, how their lives had changed. Three years was nothing at all. Ron had grown up hearing stories- stories of nightmares and darkness and monsters.

Harry was helping Madam Pomfrey steer Hermione to an unoccupied bed. Madam Pomfrey and talking to Hermione in what he supposed was a soothing manner, Harry was talking to Hermione, calling her name, trying to get her to focus to snap out of it. Ron could hear her insisting that it was just a scratch and that she was fine, everything was fine, she just needed to rest, just needed to sleep. She kept talking, kept insisting even though her voice kept getting weaker and weaker.

Their eyes met and Ron didn't know what she saw in them but the fight seemed to leave her. Madam Pomfrey got her in bed in a thrice and shooed Harry out as she pulled the curtains around Hermione's bed. She met his eyes till the blue fabric cut her off.

Harry was frozen- staring at the curtains, it didn't deem like he could move. From what Ron could see of him, he was very pale. He made a ghastly picture - his clothes were stained with Hermione's blood and he had more on his hands.

Before Ron could say anything (he didn't know what) Harry folded in on himself soundlessly- his bloodied hands clenched in his hair. That mobilized Ron and he awkwardly climbed out of bed, mindful of his broken leg and hobbled over to where Harry was slumped on the floor.

"Come on" he grunted- pulling Harry up by his shirt and leading him over to an unoccupied bed. Harry didn't resist but nor did he help so Ron was panting by the time he'd made him sit on the duvet and then collapsed next to him.

As he tried to get his breathing to slow (Harry was really skinny but he wasn't a cornish pixie either) he shifted so his stiff leg didn't hang off the bed awkwardly.

Harry was clenching and unclenching his fists. Ron settled down and waited for the inevitable explosion and Harry didn't disappoint.

"It's my fault", he said in a low monotone - mindful of the curtained area two beds away. "Sirius was my Godfather- I should have found a way to rescue him without involving Hermione"

"Come of it" groaned Ron. "When have you ever 'involved' us in anything? We've always been there- every-freaking-time, you git."

Harry looked up at him, his eyes shadowed. "Our first year- with the stone- you got bludgeoned and she nearly drank poison-"

"We wanted You-know-who to come back as much as you did, mate. Don't be stupid"

"That's not all I got you into, remember? Hermione, Hagrid, Neville and Malfoy almost met Voldemort in the Forbidden Forest-"

"-yeah well, the forest is forbidden for a reason, this school is barking mad. And don't say his name-"

"-and you got bitten by Nobert-"

"-that one's on Hagrid- you weren't even there at that time-"

"-And the Chamber with Ginny-"

"It was that tosser Malfoy's tosser father, and you never told Gin to write in an evil book-"

"- And tonight-"

"-and tonight you didn't even know about that bloody time turner until Hermione pulled it out."

Harry wasn't meeting his eyes, he was looking somewhere in the vicinity of Ron's shoulder.

Ron sighed, " Pettigrew was my pet rat. I've been feeding and housing a man who killed your parents and imprisoned your Godfather. Hermione worked on Buckbeak's case with Hagrid way more than we did. It was our battle too"

Harry felt silent and Ron counted it as a victory, he'd take whatever he could get tonight.

He did not know how much time had passed before he became aware of shouting just beyond the hospital wing's doors. He recognized Snape's voice an instant before the man himself strode in with the minister of Magic at his heels and Dumbledore bringing up the rear. Next to him, Harry stiffened.

Snape was livid.

"OUT WITH IT, POTTER!" he bellowed. "WHAT DID YOU DO?"

"Professor Snape!" shrieked Madam Pomfrey, emerging from behind he curtain. She cast a silencing spell on them and turned to the wrathful professor but he gave her no mind. "Control yourself!"

"See here, Snape, be reasonable," said Fudge. "This door's been locked,

we just saw -"

"THEY HELPED HIM ESCAPE, I KNOW IT!" Snape howled, pointing at Harry

And Ron. His face was twisted; spit was flying from his mouth.

"Calm down, man!" Fudge barked. "You're talking nonsense!"

"YOU DON'T KNOW POTTER!" shrieked Snape. "HE DID IT, I KNOW HE

DID IT-"

"That will do, Severus," said Dumbledore quietly. "Think about what you are saying. This door has been locked since I left the ward ten minutes ago. Madam Pomfrey, have these students left their beds?"

"No! Professor, the door's been locked all this time and I was here just minutes after you left!" Ron could make out the moment the anomaly struck her. Hermione hadn't been sick when Madam Pomfrey had left them and now she was -

Madam Pomfrey opened her mouth to voice her doubts but before she could Snape pounced.

"Where's the Granger girl?", he asked, his eyes glittering in triumph. "Where's your tag-a-long girlfriend, Potter?"

Ron's hands curled into fists. He wanted to hex Snape.

"She's resting", Harry lied, his voice hard with animosity. 'It's been a hard day for us, Professor. If you could let her and us rest?"

This time he turned to Fudge and Ron didn't blame Fudge for looking as taken aback as he was. Harry was scary when he was this intense.

Snape opened his mouth to probably deliver a scathing retort with another accusation but Madam Pomfrey intervened. Snape's offensive had put her on the defensive.

"Ms. Granger is resting behind the curtain, Professor. I was tending to her myself before you barged in and destroyed the sanctity of this hospital wing. Headmaster, I must insist the immediate removal of your persons from here!"

"Yes, Poppy. Certainly. Severus, come let us leave and we shall discuss this in my office."

Snape stood there, seething, staring from Fudge, who looked thoroughly

shocked at his behavior, to Dumbledore, who seemed to have understood that something was terribly wrong. Snape whirled about, robes swishing behind him, and stormed out of the ward.

"Fellow seems quite unbalanced," said Fudge, staring after him. "I'd watch out for him if I were you, Dumbledore."

"Oh, he's not unbalanced," said Dumbledore quietly. "He's just suffered

a severe disappointment."

"He's not the only one!" puffed Fudge. "The Daily Prophet's going to have a field day! We had Black cornered and he slipped through our fingers yet again! All it needs now is for the story of that hippogriff's escape to get out, and I'll be a laughingstock! Well... I'd better go and notify the Ministry..."

"And the dementors?" said Dumbledore. "They'll be removed from the

school, I trust?"

"Oh yes, they'll have to go," said Fudge, running his fingers distractedly through his hair. "Never dreamed they'd attempt to administer the Kiss on an innocent boy…"

"I shall walk you out", he said, leading the minister to the door.

"Poppy, I'll be back to check on your patients.", a heavy glance passed between them.

Dumbledore returned a couple of hours later, surprisingly with Snape in toe. The man looked murderous and Ron was very glad for the Headmaster's presence.

He and Harry had been unable to sleep. Exhaustion weighed him down but his mind swirled with thoughts. He felt like crying. He felt like screaming. And in his worse moments he wished that they had left Black to his fate.

This was followed by a rush of remorse because Black had suffered enough and he'd glance at Harry, wondering what he was thinking.

Madam Pomfrey had emerged from behind the curtain twice, to rush to and back from her office. She resisted their questions with the skill of someone who'd been dealing with restless and worried students for decades.

"What is it now, Albus? Will I finally hear the truth?" sneered Snape.

"You shall have your truth, Severus. I need you to help Ms. Granger."

"The girl was fine when I brought her in", Snape's expression was triumphant. "This proves it." He strode forward and even though Snape was shorter, they seemed nose to nose.

"Trust me Severus" Dumbledore said quietly and Ron didn't know how but he knew that this was a request. "They did not set free James Potter and Lily Evans' killer"

Harry and Ron looked at each other, bewildered by the way Dumbledore spoke of Harry's parents.

Snape's face twisted. "Black proved himself capable of murder a long time ago, Headmaster"

"Perhaps," Dumbledore said, "But he is not a murderer. And he is certainly not the murderer you seek."

The silence in the room crackled and stretched, even Madam Pomfrey did not seem inclined to break it.

Then abruptly Snape turned. "What is wrong with Miss Granger"?

And for the first time Ron spoke, "She was bitten by a werewolf. Sir."


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I own nothing

**Remus** Lupin woke up naked, alone and covered in blood.

This itself wasn't the alarming experience it would have been for most people, every month Remus woke up naked, alone and covered in blood, usually his own. What was alarming was that his wolf seemed sated, powerful, and different, in a way that Remus had never before experienced. Also alarming was that while the area he was in wasn't unfamiliar, it was not where he usually woke up these days. The Forbidden Forrest had been his playground many years ago, back when he had his odd, mismatched pack to keep the wolf in line.

Yesterday's events came rushing back to him. He was elated and horrified. Elated because he got his brother back and horrified because last night a wild wolf had been roaming the forest near the school. Guilt clawed at his throat and he turned to the side to throw up.

What had he done?

The mutilated corpse of a fox next to him told him that there had been at least one victim of the wolf last night. As Remus got up, he realized that his wand was nowhere to be seen and was probably near the tree where he'd transformed. He didn't like the idea of wandering around naked even though it was still quite early, maybe four in the morning.

Hoping against hope that no student or teacher had taken it in their heads to go for an early morning jog, he made his way to the Whomping willow. He ran his fingers through his greying hair and stared at the Hippogriff feather that had been caught in it.

**Severus** was furious.

Severus was furious and devastated and his hands were shaking as he tried to add three drops of the essence of Bloodroot into a softly simmering copper cauldron.

He took a deep breath and the tremors stopped. To all the world it looked like his moment of weakness was over, even though there was no audience in his private quarters. He was brewing a potion for the brat's know-it-all friend. She'd finally got what was coming to her, sticking with Potter's spawn and rescuing the murderer Black from his rightful fate.

"_Oh, Severus_." Lily whispered, disappointed in him. She was sitting on the footstool near the door. She came to him sometimes, a beautiful mirage conjured up to ease his pain or stoke the burning. He knew it wasn't really her, it couldn't be. He wasn't one to think of the after-life even though he was closer to death than most, however he did know that one got what they deserved and Lily could never deserve to be a part of his own personal hell and he could never deserve to be rewarded by the paradise she created just by existing.

It was a sign of weakness for a man who prided himself on his mental control but he couldn't bear to send her away, even though every time he saw her he felt like he was burning at the stake.

"_Nobody deserves that, least of all a brave girl who stood for what was true _" Lily said, shaking her head. The ends of her long red hair whipped back and forth and Severus caught himself staring like he always did. A brave girl who stood for what was true. A brave muggle born girl who stood for what was true and suffered dire consequences. She may as well be talking about herself. He tore his eyes away and stirred the mixture anti-clockwise before it became useless with neglect. The potion he was making was just a way to dull the pain-nothing could cure lycanthropy-the girl was doomed for life.

The girl had risked her life to rescue a felon and it was all Potter's fault. Didn't he see that he was putting everyone around him in danger? Harry Potter left a trail of bodies and his Lily had been a helpless victim.

The moment the thought crossed his mind, Lily sat up straight, her eyes blazing. "_Harry didn't kill me_"

You did.

The last part was unspoken because Lily would never say something like that. She might not even blame him, even though he knew his guilt to be absolute.

But there was another.

It was a kick in the gut to know that Severus had spent almost thirteen years hating the wrong man, or, as he supposed, not hating the right one. Nothing would convince him that Sirius black was undeserving of his loathing even though he hadn't killed Lily. He never thought he would hate anybody as much as he hated Black, except perhaps the Dark Lord who held the wand that took Lily Evans away from his word.

He was wrong.

Potter's pet- poor Peter Pettigrew. He had not even given the wizard a thought even at his passing. The muggles and Pettigrew had been of no consequence to him, certainly not the most heinous of Black's crimes. But to know that that pathetic excuse for a wizard had fooled everybody (Even Dumbledore!) and stolen the light from his world and then spent the past three years under the same roof as Severus made something deep and dark coil inside of him.

Pettigrew would suffer, Severus promised himself. One day.

**Wormtail** ran.

Wormtail ran as fast as his legs could run, not stopping unless for occasional food and rest. Living the past twelve years as a rat had made him more in tune with his animagus form than he thought possible. However he was a domestic pet, used to quality food and constant naps, not fighting for sustenance against bigger rodents or staying awake in fear of owls and snakes.

The Weasleys had been his sanctuary for so long. They were perfect. They didn't move in Death Eater Circles so he could avoid his old acquaintances but they were well connected enough to get news from all the relevant quarters. Besides, even though they were dirt poor he'd been treated well and had also been able to keep an eye on Harry! Sirius breaking out of Azkaban and meeting Remus ruined it all for him and for a moment he felt a pang of remorse for what his old friends had suffered the past twelve ears. But the past years hadn't been much fun for Peter too. He's been promised riches and power, both which were clearly lacking in his life. And now he was being hunted by those who knew of his disguise.

It was time to find himself a protector whom they could not hope to defeat.

The rat set course for Albania.

AN: Please review!


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: This is JKR's world. I'm just playing.

**Draco** was angry.

He wasn't good at healing charms because he never had to learn. On the rare occasion that he'd skinned his knee or banged himself up (very rare occasions-Malfoys weren't animals. The world was to be conquered, not experienced) he'd always had Dobby or Mother to fix him up. The Hippogriff incident had been an anomaly and the uncouth beast in question had probably already been dealt with. His father had told him that he could have the head stuffed and mounted for his bedroom. The thought of having a dead creature's eyes follow his movements did not appeal to Draco but Father had suggested it and Father was always right.

The hippogriff injury proved useful to Father so maybe this Mudblood inflicted bruise would be useful too? Draco was certain that if told his father about it, his father would treat him to stories of Great Grandfather's muggle hunting days. It always put Father in a good mood which put Draco in a good mood. And maybe they'd be able to threaten the Mudblood too! Nothing would come of it of course, Father always said that some laws had not changed for the better, but it would be good to see her squirm.

But despite all the benefits to going public with it, he couldn't bring himself to confess that he'd been hit by a _girl_, mudblood or not.

So the bruise would have to remain until he found an appropriate healing charm. Crabbe and Goyle had been threatened with pain of death and Malfoy's never bluffed. Even they wouldn't be thick enough to squeal. He just hoped that Potty and Weasel had the sense to shut up and keeps themselves out of trouble even though Gryffindor's were not known for their sense of self preservation

"What happened to you?" Zabini whistled at the sight of his face. "Someone finally tell you what they feel like doing every time you open your mouth?"

Zabini and Draco stayed away from each other. It was rumored that Zabini's father was halfblood and even though his mother was a pure as the Malfoy line, it called Zabini's pedigree into question. His father told Draco to stay away from him. And so he did.

Zabini returned the favour and seemed to develop a perplexing dislike for Draco which, he supposed, proved that the allegations were true. Anybody else would be humble, Zabini didn't bother.

Blood will always out, Father was right.

"Concerned, Zabini? I really didn't know you cared." Draco replied

"I do care. I'll send them flowers, a bouquet of every colour"

Draco smiled nastily. "What makes you think that they'd be in any condition to receive them?" he bluffed.

Nott entered the dorm and surveyed the scene in front of him.

"Have you done something to your face Draco? Your looks have vastly improved." Nott sneered.

Father and Nott Sr. were as thick as thieves and he and Nott were to have been the same. Nott's lineage was exemplary, just like the Malfoys and they'd gotten along well enough for a year until Draco had out flown him in the quidditch trials. Nott, clearly, held a grudge.

"Nothing that Crabbe and Goyle wouldn't be willing to do for you" He reassured Nott.

The threat was clear and a Slytherin's sense of self-preservation won out. He wished that some Gryffindors were just as easy to threaten.

Nott retired behind the green hangings of his four poster bed. Zabini and Nott didn't get along too. Nott may not like Draco but he did his duty by his blood.

He made his way to the common room. The common room had always been a sanctuary for him. Pansy, Vincent and Gregory were the only ones out of the list of his father's approved blood lines that would associate with him in the manner he was used to. He shared his dorm room with Nott and Zabini too, so he could never relax there. There was a chair in the common room he had spelled with a Notice-Me-Not, it was in the corner and he was effectively hidden from sight.

It was peace that he did not get elsewhere. The rest of the place was filled with half-bloods. He knew that in his father's time the divide had been pretty clear but since Potter's fluke the lines had been blurred. Even the Greengrass girls whose bloodlines where irreproachable did not make the divide they ought to. He supposed it was because they were girls. Mother too wasn't as discerning as she ought to be and she had been a Black! Females clearly were soft, his Aunt Bellatrix being an exception that he'd rather stay far away from.

But before could make his way to his chair, he collided with Daphne (She collided with him! Malfoy's weren't clumsy).

"Oh Draco!" she exclaimed at the sight of his face, her hand covered her mouth and for a minute, Draco was pleased to see that she was giving him the sympathy that was his due, even though she'd never know how he got hurt. A moment later he realized that she was laughing at him and his expression soured.

"You shouldn't go into the boys' dorm room", he told her stiffly, trying not to sulk. Daphne and Nott were rarely seen without each other and she was probably on her way to see him. Draco didn't approve but he knew Daphne wouldn't care for his opinion. Unlike her sister Astoria, who was radiant and sweet and exactly what a pureblood woman should be, if a little too soft, Daphne was pretty but slightly irreverent of the Malfoy name. They never got along well, he blamed Nott.

"Don't be a wet blanket, Draco. Are you going to the hospital wing? I suggest you just look for Professor Snape and ask him to deal with it"

"Why" he asked, intrigued despite himself.

Daphne rolled her eyes." I went there to ask Pomfrey to relieve my headache but she barely gave me a second! Potter, Weasley and the Granger girl were in there, it looks like one of them has been badly hurt. The amount of time they spend in there, they should make a donation"

The Potty posse was in trouble? Draco's mind raced. His day was turning out to be much brighter than he'd thought it would.

"The Weasel couldn't afford to even if he sold his whole family.", there was no real venom behind the insult. He was too preoccupied, trying to think of a way to use the situation to his advantage.

"I suppose" Daphne laughed, "But Potter can and it's usually him, isn't it? Draco-"

"I've got to go", he said, striding towards the common room entrance.

It's easy to thank my reviewers because they number three. You guys rock!

Thank you TCWBE, Hey Comic Critic and Gruffard, I hope you're still curious.

Please do review! I don't mind if it's even a one word thing. Here copy-paste to the rescue! Choose from 'Good', 'Bad' and 'Stop'.

Love BOFM.


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I don't own anything this world, I'm just a girl building sandcastles.

**Ron** woke up and Harry wasn't where he'd left him. Instead, he was standing next to Hermione's bed, he wasn't looking at her, Madam Pomfrey had drawn the curtains, but he had the weirdest expression on his face. It sent chills up his spine and suddenly he was scared for Harry.

"Mate-" Ron said, hobbling up to him.

"This is my fault" Harry said again, his voice low.

"Piss of Harry, are we going to have this conversation for the rest of our lives, every day?"

The rest of his life. The rest of her life. There was no cure for Lycanthropy.

He pushed the curtains aside and they both flinched when they saw her. She looked small and fragile huddled in the bed clothes and bandages. He clenched his fists.

"If it's anybody's fault" Ron said, barely managing to keep his voice low, "It's Lupin's"

"No! It's not his fault! He didn't know what he was doing!" Harry was quick to defend him. Ron laughed bitterly.

"All the man had to do was take a potion Harry. He could have done it and Hermione would be-"

"His friend had come back from the dead!" Harry turned to him and said furiously, "He wanted to know the truth".

"The truth waited twelve years, didn't it?" Ron yelled back. "Do you even know what she is now? She's a werewolf! Do you think that Malfoy calling her mudblood was the worst of it?"

"The Slytherins taunt everybody who isn't them!"

Ron laughed incredulously. "D'you think Slytherins are going to be the only problem, you prat? Everybody and their Mums fear and hate werewolves. Even my Mum is scared of them! You've not grown up hearing the stories. They don't even put them in children's tales anymore! Legally-"

The expression on Harry's face stopped him. He turned. Hermione was awake. She blinked up at them. She looked no less pitiful awake, her hair was a tangled mess on the pillow and her fingers kept twitching.

"Get out."

Her voice was dull and lifeless.

"Hermione" Harry said and leaned forward to touch her shoulder in comfort. She flinched.

"Get out. Get Out. GET OUT. GET OUT!" Her voice was so shrill, it almost hurt his ears. He felt like someone had grabbed him around the middle and flung him out of the hospital wing. He landed on his bad leg and yelled as the pain sent tears to his eyes. Next to him, Harry was rubbing his head which seemed to have collided into a wall.

The hospital wing doors closed on their own account. Harry got to his feet and tried to open it but it resisted.

They could hear Madam Pomfrey yelling inside. Ron limped towards the door but he was as helpless as Harry was.

"Move!" he heard and turned around to find Snape striding towards them. With his billowing robes he looked like an overgrown bat. He cast a non-verbal spell and the doors opened. He strode towards Hermione who was spasming in her bed.

Madam Pomfrey looked terrified which scared Ron more than the acromantulas. Harry had gone white.

"She's depleted her magical core" Madam Pomfrey said, shakin her head. She looked at them. "What happened?"

"She threw us out-" Harry said

At the same time Ron said "Accidental magic"

Snape removed a vial from the pockets of his robes, uncorked it, and poured it down Hermione's throat.

After Hermione had calmed down, Madam Pomfrey had fixed up Ron's leg and then banished them both from the wing. They made their way to the tower in mutual silence, broken only by Harry's muttering of the password to the Fat Lady.

The common room's few occupants were celebrating their freedom, the rest were probably asleep. It was only eight and the end of exams gave everybody a pass to sleep till noon.

"Ron!" Ginny called to him and then blushed when she saw Harry standing next to him. He didn't even have it in him to tease her. Her eyes widened as she noticed how messed up they were.

"What's wrong?" She asked frantically.

He and Harry looked at each other. Harry shrugged and he took it to mean 'your sister'. Ron wondered if Mum was going to get a letter about the night's adventures. He wondered how Mcgonagall would even begin to write it down. And despite himself, he smiled at the thought of her frustration.

He decided to go with a part of the truth. "We rescued Buckbeak" He told her softly. "Don't tell anyone. We could get into loads of trouble"

She nodded, her eyes wide and he could tell that she had a million questions. She'd have launched into it if Harry hadn't been with him. He wondered if this would make him the 'cool' brother again. He hadn't been that since he set ragdoll Morgana on fire four years ago. And then he wondered if he was already the 'cool' brother. He did almost face a basilisk for her.

"Where's Hermione?" She whispered back.

Harry's shoulder's tensed. "She's in the library" He said tonelessly and made his way to the dorm. Ron struggled to keep up, but once in their room they didn't know what to do. Neville, Dean and Seamus weren't there which was a blessing.

Harry got up. "I'm going to check on Professor Lupin", he said.

"Do you think Dumbledore's told him yet?" Ron asked.

"Dunno.", he sighed. "He'll feel terrible", he said quietly

"He should." Ron muttered.

Harry tensed and Ron wondered if they were going to have another fight. But he left without saying anything.

**Saving** the girl's life had been more rewarding than he thought it would be. His Lily beamed at him from where she'd been examining the awful dried hydrangeas that Poppy kept in the corner of his office. Poppy too was effusive in her praising of him and even though he rarely thought of her, being praised by a _living_ woman who knew of his past and treated his wounds that resulted from skirmishes with Potter, didn't taste as bitter as he thought it would.

The girl would recover but he wondered about the accidental magic- it was very uncommon at her age. Perhaps it was a Potter thing, the headmaster had told him about Potter blowing up his aunt. Maybe Weasley would turn water into rum by accident, thus stealing Mr. Finnegan's thunder.

He checked on the girl one more time before leaving for Dumbledore's office. Certain things were to be discussed- particularly Snape was going to resign from his position, it would be a blessing to not teach these brats, and hunt down Pettigrew. There was more than one way to skin a rat and protecting the Potter boy could be done my killing his enemies too. He had waited too long thinking justice had been served to the man who betrayed Lily Evens. The Dark Lord would rise again someday and then he'd destroy the man who'd taken Lily's life but until then he would remain content with obliterating the man who broke her trust.

Lupin was in his office and suddenly the night before came rushing back. The humiliation of waking up, realizing he'd been knocked out by his own students- all in the defense of men who hadn't even visited Potter's spawn for those twelve years. Where had they been when the coward Quirrell had attempted to kill the boy? Why must he play the villain of the piece when the heroes were homicidal cowards and dark creatures that bit children?

He burst in.

Lupin looked up and Severus noted that he looked terrible. There were fresh scratches on him and some of them would scar to add to the assortment Lupin already boasted.

"Severus", Lupin said tiredly. "What brings you here?"

His voice was mild as if he thought that Severus had come for the lesson plans.

"You don't know Lupin?" he sneered. "Or maybe you know but you don't care."

"What are you talking about?" Lupin asked warily. "I spoke to Hagrid. He said that Sirius and the hippogriff escaped. And that nobody was hurt last night. I'm about to go down to the Headmaster's office to hand in my resignation"

Anticipation thrummed in Severus' veins. Twenty odd years he'd had to deal with Potter's pack and then their memory. He was finally getting his back.

"_Sev, No!_" Lily said, a split second before he opened his mouth.

"You bit a girl, Lupin." Lupin just looked at him, uncomprehending.

"Wha-?" The expression on his face had been worth the detour.

Hermione Granger is a werewolf. You sired her."

He watched Lupin's face drain of colour as he turned around and left him there.

AN: Hello to all readers, reviewers and non reviewers! I do wish all of you fit into the same category. *hint hint*

(Am I being obvious enough?)

Please do review it only takes a few seconds to tell me what you like or what I should improve on (Let's face it, there's always room for improvement). I'm fine with one word or you could just copy 'Fred and George' for amazing, 'Percy' for okay and 'Aunt Muriel' for bad. (Poor Aunt Muriel)

That aside, thank you guys for your support!

Thanks tho **Guffard**, who is my first second time reviewer and to **TCWBE** who is awesome and encouraging and my second second time reviewer.

Thanks so much **Lyanah**! I was thinking of sticking to HP verse but if you have suggestions for any specific traits a werewolf should have, I'd love to hear them!

Thank you **Luv1711** for the love!


	6. Chapter 6

I own nothing JKR wrote.

**With** one last sneer, Snape left him.

Nausea clawing his throat, Remus turned to the side and heaved. He felt sick, a contrast from two minutes ago. He'd asked a celebrating Hagrid if there were reports of anyone getting hurt. Hagrid had told him that he'd seen Harry, Ron and Hermione being taken to the hospital wing himself. Ron had a broken leg and Harry and Hermione had fainted due to exposure from dementors but they were going to be okay.

How could it happen?

Had they snuck back out? And if so, why?

Sirius had apparently escaped wand less from his locked room. Were they responsible? It seemed impossible because at the time Sirius escaped they had to have been unconscious in the hospital wing. Surely no one would have let them sneak out?

And did it really matter how she got bitten?

He bit her.

He was no better than Greyback.

Remus remembered the last time he'd thought this. Ironically it was after almost biting the same man who'd gleefully delivered the news of the life Remus had ruined. He hadn't talked to Sirius for a month, it had taken James, Lily and Peter to help them reconcile.

But this.

This was all him.

Remus slumped down holding his head in his hands. How could he face her? How could he face anybody?

Like beget like. Monsters beget Monsters.

Remus sprang up and frantically searched his desk for a spare bit of parchment.

_Padfoot,_

_I bit Hermione Granger._

He grabbed his owl, Blue and the poor ting squawked in protest. He was ragged and old, he had belonged to his Mum. He tied it on and hesitated. Sirius was on the run. What could he do except worry?

But he just needed to hear from him. A letter to make sense of this nightmare. And then the next moment he castigated himself. He did not deserve the comfort that contact with Padfoot would give him.

But he couldn't do this alone. He was nowhere near brave enough. The Sorting Hat put him in Gryffindor.

What a joke.

He watched Blue fly away till the moment the owl flew over the horizon.

Remus crumpled.

That is how Harry found him sitting five minutes later, in his own vomit.

Harry walked over to him and looked down at him, probably figuratively too.

"You know". His voice was hoarse. It wasn't a question. He couldn't even bring himself to nod. Harry crouched and wrinkled his nose, obviously noticing the smell.

"Er-_Scrougify_?" the halfhearted wand wave and incantation only dispersed the smell a bit, it did nothing for the actual mess.

He threw his head back and started laughing with an edge of hysteria marring the baritone. "I ruined a girl who hasn't even mastered the _Scrougify_ charm yet. Merlin, that's young"

"Don't be daft professor. This is Hermione we're talking about. She probably mastered it long before now". Ron had limped in and something in his voice made Remus look up. Harry's eyes did not hold the condemnation he expected and he almost laughed again. James' son through and through. His eyes held sympathy and acceptance and it reminded him of Lily so much that the dull ache he usually felt at her loss became a visceral inferno of mourning.

Ron's eyes however, held all that he expected and needed to see. Unexpectedly, it comforted him. Snape condemned him for a past that he'd had no control over; Ron only blamed him for his current, most grievous error.

He got up, vanished the mess and pulled out a clean set of robes from the bag he'd been packing.

"Let's go", he said quietly

**Draco** almost didn't manage to sneak into the Hospital wing. Professor Snape almost caught him as he strode out. The presence of his Professor intrigued him, while Professor Snape did frequently supply potions to the Hospital wing, he didn't often visit. Ducking into an alcove (He wasn't skulking, Malfoy's didn't skulk) he waited for his Head of House to disappear around the bend and gave a couple of seconds thought to why the normally implacable man was so agitated.

Madam Pomfrey was nowhere in sight so he sneaked up to what was clearly the only occupied bed in the room. The curtains were drawn and he hesitated a moment to prolong the anticipation. He hoped it was Granger or Potter, Weasel was always amusing but he was almost too easy to rile up, all one had to do was mention how pathetic he was. He hoped it hurt. He hoped that they'd feel humiliated at his presence. He hoped he could fulfil his purpose before Madam Pomfrey came to shoo him away and he'd walk away with dignity (Malfoys did not _shoo_).

He wanted to throw back the curtain in a grand gesture but the hangings were a bit rusted and he got tangled in it. His cheeks turned pink and he was glad no one was there to see him, not that it mattered, he was a Malfoy.

It was Granger.

It was Granger and he was about to crow victoriously when something stopped him. She looked younger than he'd ever seen her look, and small and tired and . . . dead. She wasn't dead, was she?

There were no obvious signs of life but he put his hand in front of her face and felt the very slight brush of air. His nose wrinkled because that was Mudblood air. He removed his pocket handkerchief and cleaned his hand.

A bright red splotch caught his eye. It decorated the bandage that she had around her arm. Draco's arm had been bleeding to, after that mental hipppogriff had attacked him. He remembered how scared he'd been then, how much it had hurt, how red the blood had been.

As red has hers.

How was that possible? Had she glamoured it? She was smart enough, (which sometimes puzzled Draco because weren't mudbloods stupid?) but she didn't look strong enough to lift a wand. He'd never seen a mudblood bleed up close but he'd somehow assumed that there would be a difference otherwise how could one tell?

His eyes fell on the bedside table, the stand on it held one full and one empty vial. He lifted it up and recognized Professor Snape's handwriting. Lupus Auxilium.

It didn't take Draco more than moments to make a connection and when he did his stomach churned and he backed away as fast as he could. It was a potion administered to a newly bitten werewolf to dull the pain of the infection spreading and replenish the magical core that was depleted as a result of futile fighting of the infection. Professor Snape had asked them to write two scrolls of parchment on werewolves and Draco had done it. It was much more entertaining to watch the Gryffindors in trouble when he was not, not that he was ever reprimanded in front of them. Besides, Lupin was all better the next class so his effort was wasted.

The mudblood was a werewolf.

A part of him recognized the news for the gold it was, the other part was just numb. He'd been happy when she'd been petrified last year but he'd assumed that that was the worst thing that could have happened to her. But Lycanthropy was permanent. She'd never escape it.

Father always said that that the ministry were fools because they hired people of any blood standing and occasionally chose a half blood or a mud-blood over a pureblood for a higher position. (But now, Draco wondered, how could you tell? If their blood was red too?) The Ministry certainly wouldn't be as lax on this. As brilliant as Granger fooled everybody into thinking she was (Or was she really? If their blood was the same, was their magic the same too?), she'd never work anywhere decent. She'd be ostracized for life.

He heard something from Madam Pomfrey's office and that snapped him out of it. He turned and ran, though he wasn't sure why.

Ten minutes later he entered the portrait hole, entirely composed (Just like a Malfoy) and he took a seat beside Astoria who was strangely devoid of her entourage of devoted admirers.

She blinked up at him with corn-flower blue eyes and smiled and he couldn't help but smile back, Astoria had that effect on people.

"Good Morning Draco." She said with a beatific smile. But even the sight of her angelic visage, golden hair tumbling around her shoulders wasn't enough to snap him out of the shock.

Granger was a monster.

She shouldn't be allowed in school.

He opened his mouth and to tell Astoria just that but a vision the Granger pale and barely breathing swam before his eyes. Astoria was looking at him, concerned. He swallowed loudly (Malfoys did not gulp) and decided that he could always tell people later. Maybe with a bigger audience?

"'So what are you going to do for break?" he asked her.

**Hey guys!**

Reviews are good, they tell me if I'm going in the right direction or not! Tell me where I'm going wrong, or right, or anything!

One word reviews are perfectly acceptable (Come on people!)

Love BOFM.


	7. Chapter 7

AN: Hey guys! So yesterday James Sirius Potter boarded the Hogwarts Express at Platform Nine and Three Quarters! I couldn't be prouder if I wrote him myself. (Disclaimer: I did not write him or any of the characters in his world)

More happy news. I have a Beta! A very dear friend of mine has decided to give up a bit of her time for me and you! She's a professional hide and seek player (made it to the Olympics), a classical music enthusiast and an amateur ear model. I introduce the lovely J!

On to the story. .

**He'd** thought that the worst moment of his life, after that Halloween, had been a few minutes ago when Snape had stuck his hand into his gut and pulled his innards out. Metaphorically. Did Sirius feel like this over the James' and Lily's death? The clawing guilt that itched beneath is skin, making drawing in breath a chore?

He hoped not. Sirius was innocent and Remus was anything but.

Sitting by Hermione Granger's bedside, he realized that the worst moment of his life was the present moment and would be every moment after that. He'd live with it for the rest of his life. Madam Pomfrey wouldn't even look at him after she'd taken him aside.

"When on earth did you bite the poor girl, Remus?" she hissed at him. "One moment she's just recovering from the dementors and the other she's been bitten!" Her eyes were full of hostility.

Remus shrugged. He hadn't taken his last dose of Wolfsbane and his mind had been the wolf's. His puzzlement was overshadowed by his guilt, however. It didn't matter how it happened, it happened.

"Was it Black?" Madam Pomfrey asked, giving him an out. "I don't know if you know Remus, he disappeared around then."

Remus shrugged again even though he suspected that Harry, Hermione and Ron had had something to do with Sirius' escape.

Madam Pomfrey pursed her lips and left him alone after that.

He had tried to send Harry and Ron away, but he shouldn't have bothered. So they continued their vigil. Waiting for Hermione Granger to wake up.

**Severus** entered Dumbledore's office and was invited to sit down. The Headmaster's penseive was on his desk surrounded by the animameter and the moneometer. The delicate silver instruments were puffing blue smoke and even though Severus knew enough to know it meant something, he didn't know what it meant.

The Headmaster steepled his fingers together and looked at Severus expectantly. Those piercing blue eyes did not have its inherent twinkle; it usually annoyed him to no end.

"I'm resigning", he said with no preamble.

Dumbledore didn't seem surprised. Which meant that he was getting predictable.

"You want to hunt Pettigrew", it wasn't a question and Severus just nodded in response.

And from the depths of the pensive rose the loathsome, bespectacled form of James Potter. He realized it was that man's son when it spoke.

_ "Professor Dumbledore - yesterday, when I was having my Divination exam, Professor Trelawney went very - very strange."_

_"Yes... her voice went all deep and her eyes rolled and she said ... she said Voldemort's servant was going to set out to return to him before midnight... She said the servant would help him come back to power."_

Another Prophecy.

The first one ruined his life, this one was sure to kill him.

"Voldemort", Severus flinched, "is prophesied to rise and Peter is prophesied to help him"

"To believe in a prophecy is to allow it come true, you know that Headmaster"

"And are you going to work against this one Severus? Pettigrew did escape; Sybil's prediction is already in motion. Is your place not in this school keeping Harry safe?"

Severus knew Lily would agree with Dumbledore, he didn't need to conjure up her image to prove it.

"And allow the Dark Lord to rise?" he sneered. "I will not allow this to happen if I can stop it. To assume that Pettigrew has the brains to evade me and revive the Dark Lord is an insult to both our intellects"

Severus knew that Dumbledore was not convinced but he also knew that Dumbledore knew that he could not be moved.

Dumbledore leaned back. "Very well, Severus", he said and sounding weary. "You may go but I shall not accept your resignation. I expect to see you on the 1st of September. Know that if you haven't caught Peter by then, it is probably too late".

Severus did not agree but he knew that they had reached an impasse. He got up and turned to go

"What of Miss Hermione Granger? What are your thoughts on her situation?"

Snape sighed. "There is nothing to be done for her. She will turn the next full moon as sure as I am standing in front of you"

Dumbledore looked troubled as well she should be. Remus Lupin's lycanthropy had a been a puzzle he had obsessed about in school just because he was Potter's friend. On knowing the truth, his prejudices had reflected that of the world around him. But his views had matured as the Dark Mark on his arm had faded.

Lily had known and hadn't cared, he supposed. But Remus Lupin wasn't to be hated because he was a werewolf. The werewolf was to be hated because he was Remus Lupin.

"She is an exemplary student."

"And she is lucky to have you as a headmaster". He scowled. "You did let Lupin have is education here twenty years ago. You made arrangements. You will do the same for the girl".

There was something in Dumbledore's eyes and in his expression. Snape stepped back incredulously.

"She will not be permitted to attend?" He asked, shocked.

"You know their story now. James, Sirius, Remus and Peter. Do you not think Harry and Mr. Weasley will do the same for her as they did for him?"

Snape's brow furrowed. "You are expecting them to become illegal animagi? They do not have the brains for it professor, unless the girl helps them".

"Harry will be in constant danger by being near a werewolf. He and Mr. Weasley will put themselves in jeopardy to be there for Ms. Granger".

"And God Forbid they are in danger from anything else except the Dark Lord". Severus rolled his eyes.

So the girl was to be punished by being friends with the Potter brat. Or punished more, really.

He turned to leave again. "You do as you see fit Dumbledore, deny the girl her education. It is no skin off my nose".

He walked away.

**Hermione** did not have those precious moments of disorientation when she awoke.

Waking stole her from the dream, and threw her into a nightmare. She'd dreamed of her parents.

Three years in the wizarding world hadn't brought them closer. She was an only child and had not been a very popular girl in school and that meant that her parents had always been the center of her universe.

They'd read to her when she was too young to read herself and she'd fallen asleep to the smooth baritone of her father reading Tolstoy or her mother's lilting tones taking the words on the page of Byron's poem s and bringing them to life around her. As a child she'd never understood half of what they'd read, as a teenager she wished that she could go back to the state of blissful ignorance.. They'd bought her towers of books to replace the friends she couldn't seem to make.

But then Professor Mcgonagall had knocked on her door and her whole life and melted and fused to accommodate a world she'd never known existed. Her parents had been accepting and proud but- they hadn't understood. And she knew now that they'd known of the distance that would inevitably grow between them when they'd learnt of magic and wands and women who turned into cats. And they'd let her make the decision for herself.

Hermione had read their reservations but she hadn't known the reasons why. She'd asked herself then- was this new life worth the end of her old one?

Worth the chance to find a place she'd fit in?

Yes. A million times.

So she had boarded the train, large butterflies revolting in her stomach and met Neville who'd seemed okay, Harry who was famous and Ron who was a bit of a git. She'd met Malfoy and Justin and Parvati and Lisa and Lavender and they all had one thing in common. None of them wanted to be friends with Hermione Granger.

The Know-it-all.

The book worm.

The Muggle-born, who'd slogged to catch up to her wizard reared counterparts.

And Hermione had been forced to conclude that it wasn't magic that kept her from making friends, it was her.

Months of crying in the bathroom had culminated in near death-by Troll.

She suspected that in the start she'd flouted the rules and helped research the stone just because Harry had thought he had to and she didn't want to lose what they had. She also suspected that Ron, eclipsed by his brothers his whole life, went along for the same reasons. You-Know-Who had been a villain in a book, no more real than the White Witch. And then Harry had almost gotten attacked in the forest and the game had become real.

She'd tried to be a good friend to him.

To both of them.

But this past year had been hell, first her cat then Harry's broom. And as a result she'd spent most of this year alone again, in the library, fighting back tears.

Nothing in life came easy, even with magic.

And there were some who believed that she did not deserve even that.

Mudblood, Malfoy had called her.

She was mudblood and the Basilisk had almost killed her.

This world was beautiful and terrible. She had not known more joy and pride than after saving it, nor had she felt such humiliation while being discriminated for something she couldn't control.

_"He let me into Hogwarts as a boy, and he gave me a job when I have been shunned all my adult life, unable to find paid work because of what I am."_

And now. . . Her gaze fell to the bandage wrapped just below the crease of her right elbow.

A scratch. That's all she'd thought it was when Professor Lupin had attacked. She'd told herself that it was a scratch as she and Harry rode Buckbeak to save his Godfather. They'd broken the rules of time last night; a scratch was a small price to pay for a man's soul.

She sat up and peeked out of the curtains. The room was dark but she could see a figure reclined on a chair beside the bed. A couple of beds looked occupied.

Harry and Ron, she guessed and she didn't know how she felt about that, the details of their last encounter was fuzzy, but they'd upset her and . . . Had she thrown them into a wall?

_You wouldn't understand, you might even attack yourself! Don't you see? Professor McGonagall told me what awful things have happened when wizards have meddled with time..._

Her eyes fell on the bandage again; she couldn't seem to look away.

It was a scratch, she told herself, but she knew she was lying.

Hermione dealt with facts.

Fact- the wound had been inflicted by a werewolf

Fact-no scratch could have caused such a drain in magic.

But what convinced her more than facts was the look in Ron's eyes the night before (Had it only been last night?), he was scared for her- but also of her. Ron had grown up with the stories he represented what her world would think of her.

Gathering her courage, her Gryffindor courage, she peeled the bandage off gingerly and let out a small moan when the seeping wound came into view.

"Hermione?" somebody shifted and Hermione realized that the man behind the curtain was Professor Lupin.

The monster that bit her.

She didn't know why she didn't want to face him. She was logical and logically Professor Lupin hadn't been himself when he'd attacked. Yet she stayed quiet hoping that he thought she was still asleep.

"I know you're awake and I understand why you don't want to talk to me", he whispered. His voice was rough and she sounded terrible. "I – oh Merlin, I'm so so sorry". He didn't sound like Professor Lupin then, but someone much younger and scared.

"I -" Hermione wanted to reassure him that she didn't blame him but she couldn't get the words out. Professor Lupin's movements stilled at the sound of+ her voice. She was incredibly grateful for the curtain between them and suspected that he was too. "I-you bit me"

Somehow her reassurance got twisted into an accusation.

"I did"

She didn't know what the next step was going to be but Harry solved her problems for her. She'd always been the one to throw herself into hugging Harry, never the other way around. But he leaned in and enveloped her in a hug so gentle that she fought back tears.

Over his shoulder, she could see Ron hovering and finally Professor Lupin slumped in a chair.

"How are you feeling?" they asked each other at the same time.

His brow furrowed, "I'm fine", he said.

"I threw you into a wall" she said apologetically.

He sat at the edge of her bed gingerly, careful to not jostle her.

"I'm the reason you're here" and his shoulders drooped. "I'm sorry I made you go back, Hermione. I'm so sorry" He said.

"You're not" she said before she could stop herself. "You're sorry I got hurt, but you would do it all over again if it meant rescuing Sirius Black" and Harry's guilt was evident on his face. "But you didn't make me go back, Harry" she said, ready to remind him that the fault wasn't his.

"We may have gone back to save Sirius but didn't you save us too?" she said reminding him of the patronus that he cast.

Harry's brow cleared but he still looked uncertain.

"I'm fine", Hermione said again, in case they missed her the first time.

"You're not", Ron spoke for the first time and she looked at him over Harry's shoulder. His blue eyes met hers and she was reminded of the first time he looked at her, really looked at her. It was before he had knocked the troll out with his own club. "Hermione, you're a werewolf", he said bluntly and she felt like somebody had walked over her grave.

"I'm not", she protested.

"It isn't a scratch Hermione" Harry said softly and Professor Lupin buried his head in his hands.

"It's not" she agreed and all three of them looked up at her, confused.

"I'm not denying that I was bitten" she said softly and despite that Professor Lupin twitched. "But I can counteract the effects, can't I"? She asked, looking at Professor Lupin.

"It can't be done" he looked devastated.

"It hasn't been done" she corrected "There is a difference. You've never tried. Professor you were young" she stated firmly. "You weren't old enough to try"

"I was five", he agreed. "But I've lived with it a long time. My father tried all he could to save me"

"That was a long time ago. Lycanthropy is a curse"

"It's a condition"

"And curses can be fought against"

"Not this one"

"Why are you so determined to make me a werewolf?" she raised her voice, irritated.

"Hermione, I already have" he said, his voice low. "I've condemned you to this life; I don't want it to hurt more than it will"

_You're the cleverest witch of your age I've ever met, Hermione._

"You called me the cleverest witch of my age, Professor. Watch me" 

**"Enter"**, Professor Dumbledore called out in response to his knock. "Hello Harry, take seat", Dumbledore smiled at him. He looked unusually grave but seeing the headmaster made Harry feel better than he had felt since rescuing Sirius. It seemed much longer than a night ago.

"I heard from Madam Pomfrey that despite Miss Granger's episode of accidental magic, she is on her way to recovering"

"She is" Harry confirmed, then he hesitated. "Professor, can Lycanthropy be cured?"

"I have never heard of such an occurrence", Professor Dumbledore said apologetically and Harry's heart sank. He sounded exactly like Professor Lupin.

"Hermione-she thinks-she wants to cure it"

Dumbledore looked troubled.

"Miss Granger is a very talented witch. She is also very young"

"You don't think she could do it?" he asked, worried.

"The young see more possibilities than the old, and I am a very old man Harry. However, this kind of hope may do more harm than good"

Harry nodded, perturbed.

"What is done cannot be undone" Dumbledore sighed, "Harry, I called you to extract a promise from you"

"Yes Professor?" Harry was puzzled, what would Dumbledore want him to promise now that the Sirius Black was innocent?

"Promise me that you and Mister Weasley will be nowhere near Miss Granger during full moons"

Harry looked at him, incredulous. How could Dumbledore ask that of him? And how had he guessed already that Harry had been thinking of doing what his father had done for Professor Lupin all those years ago? He supposed it wasn't that for a leap for Dumbledore to think he'd do the same.

"I-" He didn't know what he was going to say, was he going to lie? Dumbledore seemed to see right through him.

"Stay away from Miss Granger during the full moon or I shall have to rescind her admission to this school."

His words were heavy, as if it cost him to say this. Harry's mind was reeling.

"What? You can't!" He said jumping out of his chair and glaring at the older man.

"I don't want to" Dumbledore admitted.

"You – you told us to go back!" Harry yelled.

"I did. I failed Miss Granger" He sounded sad and tired but Harry was furious.

"She's more brilliant than Ron and me! She's -"

"I assure you Miss Granger's many excellent qualities are not lost on me. However I shall not fail you and Mister Weasley as I have failed her. Unlike twenty years ago, Miss Granger's isolation will be absolute."

Harry turned, prepared to storm out. The rage bubbling in him ensured that if he stayed much longer he would be tempted to scream at Dumbledore.

"Your word, Harry" Dumbledore's steady voice stopped him; he had seemed to expect his reaction.

"You have my word", Harry said coldly and slammed the door behind him.

*gasp* a longer chapter and divisions between POVs? I do listen!

So what do you think?

Thanks SydneyStache for a review for each and every chapter! You rock!

Thank you Captain Shamrock, Luv1711, Nigtraze, pianomouse,TCWBE and Bennybabe!

AetheriusStorm and Gruffard- hope this chapter is more to your liking! Thanks for reviewing!

Love and Kisses

BOFM

**REV: Okay I'm pissed off at myself for not checking if my POV breaks showed. That was stupid. Thanks AetheriusStorm for pointing it out. Hope this clears it up. **


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer: I am JKR. I do own this. This is canon. Also unicorns are real**

**Okay. I lied. **

**Nothing belongs to me. But unicorns are real.**

AN: Yes, I suck. I'm late and the chapter is short. Go on, tell me you're not mad, you're disappointed.

Thank SydneyStache who got me to finish this part, which I was struggling with. I hope it didn't show. Also this chapter is un-beta'd because I wanted to get it out here. Tell me what you think! Even if it sucks cause who else will?

**Sirius Black** tied the letter to the overexcited bird and watched it disappear into the Croatian sky. He had been staying on the top floor of an unfinished building. The muggle squatters did not know he was there and they were too smart to come up the obviously unstable and potentially unsafe stairway.

Croatia had a thriving black magic market and he'd come here with the hope of procuring a wand. He had no money and he didn't think that Buckbeak was comfortable enough with him to let him cut off a talon and live. Feeding his getaway steed wasn't cheap. He had been able to get a few pounds of meat and the poor excuse for the owl thrown in by selling Buckbeak's feathers. Buckbeak had gobbled up his dead purchases before washing it down with rodents he found. His length of food deprivation had been conterminous with the hippogriff's so he caught rats and ate them with pleasure, their terrified squeaks just before he killed them were music to his ears.

He was stuck if is supposed act of enormity had made his face recognizable in this country. Buckbeak wasn't easy to hide. All he needed was a wand and he'd be well on his way to Brazil. Long ago he and James had drawn up a plan of how they'd spend their inheritance. James had wanted to show Lily the world, never mind that he was fourteen at the time and that Lily hated his guts. Sirius had just wanted to leave, run as far from the family name as possible, the same family name that had condemned him to years in Azkaban. Brazil had been one place they'd dreamed of. Brazil and India.

"Alright there Beaky?" he mumbled, unused to the sound of his voice. "Just going out for a bit, mind you don't eat any muggles" he chuckled.

Buckbeak snorted like eating anything that wasn't a rodent was an indignity.

Long ago, when Sirius had been a different man who didn't have the horrors of Azkaban in his head, he'd been studying wandless magic. He hadn't gotten very far then and he could do even less now but a superficial colour changing was manageable. He had been aiming for blond but now he was stuck with a sort of ginger-browny colour. It would have to do, he supposed.

Walking the barely moonlit streets he played close attention to the shadows, it wouldn't do to forget Moody's lessons, now, when he was so close to complete freedom. It was a good ten minutes before he found a clue. Aromas that tried to seduce his stomach were coming from a muggle fast food joint but he followed the scent of magic to the dingy looking alley next to it. A partially filled dumpster stood dirty and proud right at the back. Hoping against hope that the quill dealer wasn't making a mickey out of him he ran and vaulted in ignoring the rather ripe smell of congealed gravy.

Crushing darkness and then he stumbled into a dark street similar to the one he'd left except it was filled with wizards. This was not like Diagon Alley or even Knockturn. Instead of brick and mortar shops lining the alcove there were tarp covered stalls between dingy buildings lining the street selling what Sirius knew from a glance, were very dangerous items. No one gave him a second glance, which made him relax.

He walked over to a wand stall; the boxes were piled up higher than his head and was surprised to see that it was manned by a witch- seemingly, the only one in the alley.

"Dorijan?" he rasped out in question. The woman had long blonde hair and was pale, reminding him of his cousin Narcissa, but that was where the resemblance ended. She wore muggle clothes which Cissy wouldn't be caught dead in. One eye was a pretty brown but the other was an empty socket with her translucent eyelid sown shut. A scar bisected her left cheek.

"It is I" she said regally, reminding him of Narcissa again.

"Janko sends his regards", he told her and hoped that the recommendation was enough to keep him from getting fleeced.

"I see", she said. "You are from London so you must have used old Ollivander's wand, no?"

He tensed. She had guessed his origins effortlessly and he had planned on lying. No point now.

"Yes"

"And?" she said impatiently

"Dragon Heartstring, Cypress, Ten and a Quarter inches"

She frowned. "I have nine and a half inches of the same", she said, "Try it"

Demonstrating incredible dexterity, she pulled out a faded box from the bottom of the stack and handed it to him. In front of him, she put a pebble.

"Non-verbal Levitation", she said gruffly.

He waved the wand, feeling like an idiot, especially when nothing happened.

"Apparently not"

She snatched it away from him. "What subject was easiest for you in school? Charms? Potions?"

"Transfiguration"

"Ebony" she said" handing him another one. "Unicorn hair"

This time the pebble got up in the air for a bit before wobbling and giving up. As brief as the flare of magic had been it warmed Sirius' insides and he gave a short laugh.

The woman ignored him and handed him "Hawthorn, unicorn hair"

This time the magic rush was incredible. It filled him and warmed him up like Rosemarta's butterbeer. The pebble shot up and stayed up.

Still Dorijan frowned. "This is it" Sirius said with confidence.

"Do not presume you know better than me" she snorted.

"That was perfect!" he argued.

She stiffened and hissed. "You men, you think you know best! Never do you think a woman knows better than you! Take it and go!"

"Woah there" he said his hands raised defensively. "Ma'am", he added hoping it would help.

"I have nothing against you and I'm not being difficult because you're a woman." He tried for a charming smile. He used to be very good at them. He couldn't manage it, however, and had to settle for a genuine grimace.

"Look, I'm sorry" They were starting to attract the attention of the passersby. "I was just excited- I didn't know these wands could get so close"

She appeared mollified, and he looked longingly at the wand she packed away. "Three galleons" said passing him another box.

"Shouldn't I try it?" he asked, confused.

"I am confident" she said, holding her hand out for the money.

Even though he was scared of offending her, he opened the box out. The wand was ten inches long.

"Hawthorn and Dragon Heartstring" She answered his unspoken question.

He waved his wand and instead of the pebble shooting up, he had perfect control of its ascent. The magic filled and nourished him and he felt eleven again, his Mum still liked him and Reggie still loved him and the Voldemort was only a whispered rumour. He wanted to run into a dementor, he was so sure he could cast a patronus.

"That was-" he didn't have words.

"Three galleons" she repeated.

He dug the last of his galleons out of his pocket leaving him with only a few knuts.

"Here" he said, passing it to her. "And thank you" She rolled her eye and he turned to leave.

Unfortunately, at that moment, a woman exited a building, next to them and he bumped into her, spilling her wares on the ground.

'Aconite, scarab beetles, lacewing flies?" he asked confused as she scrambled to get everything back in her bag.

"Are you brewing-?" before he could ask her if she was brewing wolfsbane she cut him off. She was a large woman, bundled up in scarves and coats so he could only see he bulky outline. All he could see of her were a pair of pretty dark eyes.

"I'm sorry" she said hurriedly. "Jan I'm off" she said addressing Dorijan before scampering off.

He realized that the building she had come out of was a self-serve diner. He had a couple knuts left and the thought of having a meal that he did not have to de-tail himself almost made him shiver in delight.

"A coffee and a chicken pie" he said to the girl behind the counter.

"Glas? Name?" she repeated, irritated.

"Er-Evans James" she rolled her eyes and he supposed no one here was expected to give their real name. He took a seat by the window and removed his wand, deciding to use his time practicing magic.

This wand was meant for him, he could feel it and he knew how rare it was to get something like that in illegal markets.

He concentrated on making the salt shaker dance while the keeping a ear out for his name.

"Alen K.!" the girl called

"Fran D." she called out five minutes later

"I'm certain I saw a mouse here" the women next to him insisted to her companion. We really need to find a more hygienic place to eat at Harry"

Sirius automatically looked up at the name of his godson, the thought of him both bolstered and dispersed the europhia of finding his wand. But the lady next to him was addressing her female companion and he got back to work.

"Bertha J." the girl called out.

And finally "Evans J,". He got up quickly to collect his dinner.

When he got back an hour later, an owl was waiting for him. And even as his heart sank as he read Remus' missive, he counted himself lucky that Buckbeak hadn't mistaken the owl for food delivery


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer: I do not own these people. They just dance in my head.**

**Thanks J, my beautiful beta, who's going through things. Your problems, unlike your brilliance, are temporary.**

"This one is about Modard the Magnificent. He didn't turn after he got bitten, goblins are immune so maybe some goblin magic? But then he died of it so that's clearly not the way to go" , Ron read out loud.

It was a beautiful day outside and Ron, Harry and Hermione ere cloistered in the library. It had been five days since Madam Pomfrey had declared Hermione fit to leave. According to Madam Pomfrey, her magical core was stabilizing; the werewolf curse was weaving into it, binding it. She clearly did not believe that the condition could be cured. Every new day in the library seemed to drive home the point. Even perusing the restricted section with Dumbledore's permission (Hermione had gone to him the day she'd been released and Harry hadn't told her how his last encounter with the headmaster had gone) had so far been fruitless.

Desperate and guilty, Harry had been with her every moment of everyday but she had barely acknowledged him and Ron. He suspected that it was not because she blamed him but because she was no closer to finding a cure to her condition than she was to playing seeker for the Gryffindor team. Ron had taken to babbling out every single piece of werewolf related information he came across.

"Hang on", Ron said again and Harry looked up to see if Ron had found anything useful. Hermione didn't even move, she just kept reading in that manic way of hers.

"I reckon they've put the exam results up. I'll go check on that, be back in a bit" he spoke a little loudly, probably for Hermione's benefit but she remained unmoved.

Harry looked longingly at the library door but shook his head in answer to his friend's unspoken question and turned back to '_Controlling the Dark_' by Andre Selwyn. The pockmarked page featured a large illustration of a mangled witch and the caption read that it was a representation of a victim of a werewolf attack. He almost jumped back, startled when the illustration twitched and then moaned in pain. Face white, he slammed it shut before Hermione could see.

He heard a sniffle and scared he had been too slow, Harry turned to look at her. But she was staring at her scar and as he watched the tears fell unto the table, perfect spherical drops of salt water, before absorbing into the wood.

"Hermione-" he said, the sudden lump in his throat so big, it hurt.

"What if I can't do it, Harry?" her voice was soft and scratchy and her hair, normally undefeatable and bushy, seemed to sag. "What if I'm going to be a mudblood and a werewolf? I was so happy when I got my letter, I knew I finally belonged somewhere, and now I'm going to go from being a third class citizen to ostracized!"

Harry knew how she felt, the relief of knowing that he part of something bigger, a whole new world, that he was not just a freak and an unwanted burden. But his experience in the wizarding world had been so different from Hermione's so far, he had been welcomed back with open arms, even though they were both essentially raised by muggles. Harry gathered her into his arms, hesitantly, awkwardly. Hermione had hugged him before, so had Mrs. Weasley but he'd never hugged anyone, never initiated such a blatantly physical and obvious show of affection. It was natural, he supposed, who would want to hug the Dursleys?

She was taller than him but he tried his best, to make her feel as loved as her hugs always made him feel. He'd been horrible to her this year, as had Ron. All over that stupid traitor turned rat (and he tensed, angry, thinking of Pettigrew) and a new broom, albeit an awesome new broom.

"You're Hermione Granger", he said firmly, "Brightest witch of your age"

She hid her face in his robes and he could feel her tears soaking through the fabric of his robes.

"I've gone through Lyall Lupin's notes. They're a dead end and he had years-"

"We've defeated Voldemort, a Basilisk and hundreds of Dementors, Hermione. We –"

"No", Hermione pulled away and looked at him, her eyes glittering, her cheeks wet. "You defeated You-Know-Who. You killed the Basilisk. You drove off the Dementors. I was-"

"-Brilliant". He tried not to blush; it wasn't easy for him to say this. Ron hid behind jokes and he hid behind indifference. But she needed this, he realized.

"You've always been brilliant." He fought the urge to look away. "You will always be brilliant. It doesn't matter if you're a werewolf or muggle or a leprechaun."

She exhaled shakily and he withdrew. She scrubbed her cheeks dry and pulled the next book towards her. "Nothing in '_Controlling the Dark'_? I was hoping there would be, Mr. Lupin didn't have access to it so I was hoping there would be something helpful that his notes failed to cover. Professor Mcgonagall said she had '_Moon Magic'_ as a part of her personal collection. I'm staying with her in her summer" she added casually.

Harry gaped and Hermione shook her head impatiently.

"I can hardly research all this in front of Mum and Dad. Have you seen some of the illustrations?"

Harry smiled at the return of her superior tone but asked worriedly 'You won't tell them?"

"Why bother them with something that can be fixed?" she challenged. "I sent them a letter telling them that I'm working on an extra credit project with Professor Mcgonagall. They won't be happy but-" she sighed "- they can't help unless it's to do with wolf oral hygiene"

"Mcgonagall knows"

"She does and she was furious."

"It wasn't his fault" Harry said defensively.

"No it wasn't" Hermione agreed but there was something in her tone that had him looking up at her sharply. Her face was inscrutable.

Harry hadn't seen him since two days ago.

_"I'm going to try and procure some Wolfsbane for next month." Lupin looked tired and rundown. "Commercially, it is difficult to find and bloody expensive, but I know a- someone, just need to track her down now that Professor Snape's gone Merlin knows where."_

_"I'll pay for it" said Harry. "For you and Hermione"_

_"Not for Hermione", Lupin shook his head and looked, if possible, worse. "Wolfsbane works by suppressing the wolf mind. But the wolf mind does not develop until the first transformation. She'll need to go through it naturally". _

_Harry blanched._

_"She'll find a cure", Harry murmured. Remus said nothing._

He hadn't seen him since.

"Oi!" Ron bounded back towards them, his loud voice carrying to them easily. A few people looked up and Harry grimaced to see Malfoy's platinum head. He was sitting two seats away with a Slytherin girl, pale gold and pretty, Harry recognized her face but she was not in their year. Both of them had looked up at Ron's vociferous entry. Hermione had looked up too, her brow furrowed as she followed Ron's progress towards them.

"Guess who got the top score as usual?" Ron asked as he flopped down in his seat and held out their mark sheets.

Even though Hermione didn't smile, her posture radiated smugness as she accepted the sheet he held out. Ron left it a bit too quickly and it almost slid down. Hermione didn't seem to notice as she browsed through her marks, her only imperfect scores were in DADA and Potions. Her list of subjects was much larger than his.

Harry was pleased to note that his score was pretty decent too, about eleven slots below her and Ron was three below him. He'd gotten a perfect score in DADA and near perfect in Charms, Care of Magical Creatures and Transfiguration, Potions and History of magic were around the average mark, Herbology was pretty good but Divination was abysmal. He suspected that Trelawney would have graded him better if he'd jumped in the black lake and served as an appetizer for a very large squid. She was probably mad that he didn't have the decency to just die.

"I'm going down to the dungeons", Hermione said and Harry looked up in surprise.

"What? Why?"

"There are a few potions I could try and I need to start brewing. Besides, '_Bottling the Dark_' is supposed to arrive today, from Flourish and Blotts, Lyall Lupin wrote that he tried to brew some of the potions from that for Professor Lupin."

Ron looked as nervous as Harry felt.

"Umm-Hermione? Should you really just do stuff without supervision? It's not like Snape's there to tell you if you're drinking poison, not that he would" Ron said.

Hermione looked at them blankly. "I'll be fine", she dismissed. Harry found this particularly ironic when he thought about the amount if times she had cautioned them against doing much less dangerous things than drinking questionable potions. Then again, she had planned and executed excursions much more dangerous than drinking questionable potions. Should he remind her that she turned herself into a cat?

Harry was prepared to follow her to the dungeons, not because he and Ron could be of actual help, but because someone needed to be conscious to call Madam Pomfrey if she poisoned herself. He had a very bad feeling about this.

"Hermione, if it didn't work on Lupin- wait, it says that Lupin was sick for days after drinking it" Ron had his head tilted comically sideways as he tried to read the notes spread out in front of her.

Hermione slammed the books shut and Ron flinched back, barely avoiding his nose getting smacked.

"He could have brewed it wrong" she insisted. "It was a long time ago"

"You're an idiot" Ron said flatly. "You'll poison yourself and-"

"And what Ron? What's wrong this time? If I poison myself, Harry'll get to play Quidditch on a fast broom and Crookshanks won't eat Trevor! My cat won't bother you and I won't bother you and you can take your sodding brooms and rats and go play outside" she whispered furiously.

"Hermione, this is different-"Harry tried to head off the potential shouting match.

"No Harry! You heard him in the shack – Get away from me werewolf" she imitated him "-and now he doesn't want to help!"

"Of course I want to help, you daft witch! You thought Lupin was wrong too! That he'd been helping a mass murdering lunatic get close to Harry!"

"Yeah well, you and Harry can- can go bugger off" she said and Harry blinked in astonishment at her language. "I'll deal with this like I always deal with my problems- alone"

She stormed off.

Ron's worried look mirrored Harry's.

Hello beautiful people! Reviews keep me going! Thanks** AetheriusStorm, SydneyStache, Bennybabe, luv1711, pianomouse, Every-thing-is-black-and-white** and **The Cat** **with Blue Eyes** for your reviews. They keep me going! And if you haven't reviewed yet, isn't that beautiful button calling your name?

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	10. Chapter 10

_Disclaimer: I own nothing canon._

_Sydneystache- Your PMs keep me going!_

_J, thanks for the super fast beta-ing. You rock!_

_Yes. I suck. It's been quite some time. Give me a couple of weeks and I'll figure out a posting schedule. _

**It wasn't until** Astoria pointed it out to him that Draco realized that he'd been watching Hermione Granger. He was glad that it was her who noticed and not Daphne, who would tell Nott, or Pansy who would screech at him or Zabini who would have raised his eyebrows in that superior way of his and would comment softly that at least he wasn't obsessed with mudbloods.

He didn't know why he was following her with his eyes. Why he suddenly deemed the mudblood worthy of his attention. He had only ever seen a werewolf in his DADA textbook but now that he knew Granger's secret, his imagination ran wild.

He expected her to act differently, uncivilized, animal like, but he supposed that it would be a hard change to note, considering she went around assaulting her superiors. If anything, however, she became quieter, keeping that bushy head of hers down, always reading. No raw steak, she didn't even seem to eat until Scarhead and Weasel made her. No coarse fur sprouting out of soft skin and even though he'd be the last person to call her teeth normal they still reminded him of a rabbit instead of a wolf.

He didn't understand. Weren't people supposed to be able to tell? Granger might me a creature of the moon but she never looked more human. She didn't look dangerous, she looked lost.

Draco hadn't told anyone. He had been planning a Great Hall announcement that would out Granger for the animal she was (even though every time he thought about it she flashed through his mind, wrinkling her nose in that uncouth way of hers or vibrating in her seat with her hand straight in the air, things about her that had irritated him, but now all they did was remind him how human she had been and how lost she was now) but then what stopped him in his tracks was caution. He'd assumed Granger had been wandering around in the forbidden forest in that nosy and annoying way of hers and one of the resident werewolves had attacked her. But looking at the absolute _humaness_ of Granger, he realized he couldn't be sure. If they looked the same as they did before, how could he tell who bit her? He was sure she had been recently bitten, but by who? A student? A teacher? Was it that oaf with the crazy pet love? Would they come after Draco if he revealed Granger? With Professor Snape gone he trusted only his father. He'd be safe in the Manor and Father would know what to do.

Besides, she was done at Hogwarts. There was no way she'd be allowed to come back. Hopefully they'd find her Sire and arrest him.

He and Astoria had been sitting in the library when, it happened. He'd seen the whole think. Granger and Potter cuddling, Weasley, Potter and Granger arguing. Clearly there was something going on and clearly they didn't know about her. Potter and Weasley could both do better than a werewolf mudblood even with Potter's mudblood mother and Weasley's empty pockets. Granger would be better suited with a muggle. Her werewolf savagery would match their innate beast like manner and they could roll in the mud together.

"Pardon me, Astoria. I'll be with you shortly", He said, taking his leave of Astoria to follow Granger out on an impulse. He didn't know what he was thinking. Astoria cast her limpid blue eyes at the Depressed Duo who were looking even more worried that usual.

It took a bit of effort to catch up to her (Malfoy's didn't hurry, especially after Mudbloods). But he caught up to her in an empty corridor. Surprisingly they were near the dungeons, closer to his common room than hers.

"Granger!" he called out when he was close enough. She whipped around, her wand in her hand and he barely avoided the sparks that she shot at him.

"Bloody shrew", he hissed.

"It was an accident she said unperturbed.

"I saw you" he said

"I didn't see you, that's why it was an accident", she countered and started walking off. He and Granger had never really interacted alone. Mostly she held her beastly friends back when they were foolish enough to tangle with him. However this lack of fire unnerved him. Where was the savagery he asked himself, not that he wasn't grateful for its absence. Why had he acted like a stupid Gryffindor, confronting a bloody werewolf?

"Mud- Granger!" he called out and she whipped around again and this time he knew the sparks are on purpose.

"Go talk to someone who's interested Malfoy. And when you fail at that, try a mirror"

"Sore because Weaselbee found out about you and Potter? Even the blood traitor can do better"

She looked at him as if _he_ were the weird one. "You were watching us?"

"I happened to see you." he sneered.

"And you decided to tell me what you think of my life choices. I'm charmed" she spit the words out at him and she _finally_ sounded like the beast she was.

"Someone should educate you about your place" he tried to say it like his father would, cool and disdainful.

"What place are you on Malfoy? I'm on top. Didn't you check the lists? Where did all your pretty pretty pure blood put you?" She took a step towards him and he almost took a step back in alarm.

"Don't you dare mudbl-"

She cut him off. "Dare what? Question the skills of someone who had to bribe all the members of a team to get in? Did your father think you're a failure who can't do anything without his money? Doesn't trust you, does he Malfoy?"

She'd gone too far. "Don't talk about my father like that. I'm much better than your orphan boyfriend."

"You're disgusting", she looked at him as if _he_ was a worm. "You-Know-Who could have just as easily killed your parents but they were too valuable licking his boots. Harry's parents died like heroes."

He was so angry he could curse her. She was a werewolf- she was nothing! Barely a witch, not even human.

"You disgusting we-"

"Your father is disgusting. And he is a prejudiced evil dark lord follower who set a giant snake in a school his son and his son's friends attend. But at least _his_ opinions are his own. You're the sycophant who parrots them at people because you're too much a spineless worm to have your own opinions"

He had never been angrier. But a part of him, probably the part that decided to follow Granger out the library, seemed to be affected by her words. "I have my own opinions.", he defended. "Muggles are filth and Muggleborns are filthy and wer-"

"Have you even met a muggle?" she asked him pointedly. He was going to reply that of course he had, even though he hadn't really, but they were interrupted.

Daphne and Nott were the perpetrators and he prevented himself from flushing with guilt. He did manage to take a step back. He was subtle but Nott noticed, Daphne didn't but she looked unusually upset.

"Are you- are you alright?" he asked Daphne, concerned. She only looked like that when she –

"I got a letter from my Father. Where's Astoria?"

"I left her in the library" he wanted to ask her if she was alright again but the answer was obvious and he didn't want to sound like a bloody Hufflepuff.

"Yes. Thank you Draco" she was unusually sweet and he got a feeling that something was terribly wrong.

"Theodore- Theodore got a letter from his father too", she sounded hesitant and kind. From the corner of his eye he could see Granger watching the drama unfold.

"Nott got a letter for Astoria?" he was thoroughly confused now.

"No-no. His letter is about you"

"Me?"

"Well not you really. Look, I have to talk to Astoria" and she hurried away after giving Nott a look he couldn't decipher.

Nott didn't meet his eyes and his feeling of dread intensified.

"Nott." he growled. Nott eyed the unmoving Granger curiously before taking a deep breath as if bracing himself.

"Look. I'm not supposed to tell you this. Father- father will skin me alive. Merlin, if I hadn't told Daph", he groaned and Draco's temper rose.

"Nott, if you have something to say-"

"Malfoy- your father hasn't told anyone, he probably hasn't told you because he wants to secure the position before anyone else knows it's available. And he probably thought that if you knew the rest of us will come to know and our fathers will join the race, he's right actually. I don't know how Father came to know-"

"Nott", he sighed. "What the hell is wrong with you?"

Nott bristled. "I'm doing you a favour Malfoy"

"Daphne is making you do it" he snapped. He didn't understand much but he understood that.

'Daphne can't make me-" he said hotly and then Granger interrupted.

"Your egos are so busy battling it out that neither of you have gotten to the point yet"

"Shut up mudblood" he said dismissively and the next second he wasn't standing in front of Draco anymore, he was on the ground, in a full body bind. Draco stared at Granger. She truly had lost it; the werewolf curse had warped her mind. She had been such a stickler for rules and now she had attacked Nott without provocation!

"_Expelliarmus_" he disarmed her before she could take her violent rage out on him. She was just staring down at Nott's body and was caught by surprise. She looked at him in dismay as her wand flew out of her hand and he stretched out and caught it. "Are you out of your mind Granger? Take a calming draught or something. You can't just go hexing your betters in the school corridors!"

"Shouldn't you read Nott's letter before insulting me? It did seem like he was trying to tell you something important" she pointed out quietly.

He glared at her but Nott's hesitation had him burning with curiosity and Daphne's kindness had his gut churning in an unpleasant way. Something was wrong, he had to know what. Carefully he knelt down and removed the letter from Nott's grasp. Now he was avoiding Nott's eyes, trying to keep himself from thinking about the extent to which he was doing something unacceptable, violating Nott's privacy. There would be consequences.

The letter was just one page long filled with instructions from Theos Nott to his son

_Unexpected development . . . Good opportunity . . . Be of use for once. . . . Power vacuum . . . Lucius Malfoy must have told his son . . . Find out if the boy knows something useful. . . happened last week . . . Empty place in council. . . Abraxas Malfoy's death . . . Dragon Pox._

"Grandfather is dead" he murmured. The letter and the wands fell out of his nerveless fingers and he felt hollow. His Grandfather had died last week and no one had told him. Nott's father had known before he had, Nott had known and he told Daphne. So many people knew his Grandfather was gone before he did. He'd never get that week back and Draco felt cheated and off-balance. But whose fault was it? Father had to have known and he must be doing his best to make sure that he got Grandfather's council seat. A small part of his brain demanded why his father had kept him in the dark. Did he really think Draco was too weak to keep his mourning private? That he'd be so stupid as to tell his friends something he shouldn't? And what friends? Vincent and Gregory were as sharp as troll backsides and he had no other friends.

But then he thought about Astoria who was quiet and sweet and kept him company when he needed an intelligent mind around him. Daphne who had her own problems but made Nott enlighten him. And Nott- he'd betrayed his father for Draco.

He heard Granger retrieve her wand and unbind Nott.

"You stupid bint!" there was venom in his voice as he jumped up to face her

She kept his wand trained on him. "I could do it again before you even blinked Nott. You can help your friend or leave"

Nott scowled at her. "I'm reporting you mudblood." he scooped his letter of the ground and addressed Draco. "I'm sorry for your loss. Just make sure no one knows the information came from me. I'll leave you to your filth" he said curtly and stormed off.

He felt a hand on his shoulder and he realized that he was slumped down against a wall. He looked up expecting Daphne or Astoria but it was Granger. Her eyes were sad and her hand was warm

Father was right, he wanted to tell her. Or perhaps he wanted to say that father had just been protecting the Malfoy's interests. But he couldn't bring himself to say anything.

_Did your father think you're a failure who can't do anything without his money? Doesn't trust you, does he Malfoy?"_

Her words were like a slap in the face now.

He shook off her hand and ran, stopping only when he reached a hidden alcove. Where would he go?

His father thought he was weak and pathetic. He didn't trust Draco. Who would he ask? Professor Snape had absconded, leaving Potions free. He didn't trust any other damn teacher in this place. Father would be very angry if he knew that Draco knew when he didn't want Draco to know.

Draco Malfoy ran to the owlery to write a letter to his mother.

**Hermione stared blankly** at the hand she that she had placed on Draco's shoulder. There was something wrong with her; her emotions were all over the place. She'd alternatively cried at and yelled at her friends. She'd stormed off and engaged in a shouting match with Malfoy, king of Prats.

By trying to get Buckbeak killed wasn't he part of the reason she was in this situation? Didn't he deserve a kick in the gut just for that?

A kick in the gut which is own father had delivered. Imagine not telling someone their Grandfather had passed away. Lucius Malfoy left his son in the dark so as to not lose advantage in a power play.

But Malfoy hadn't remained in the dark. Hermione often scolded Ron for lumping all Slytherins in one evil category but she hadn't realized how much she believed that they were all a bunch of self-serving snakes. Daphne and Nott and proved her wrong.

Thinking of Nott, her pulse sped up, and not in the good way it had done with Lockhart. She'd cursed him! Harry and Ron were the impulsive ones, she was the sensible one. Now Harry and Ron were tip-toeing around her and hexing an unprepared Nott just seemed to fit into the pattern that this year was turning out to be. Pain and Hurt.

She couldn't sleep. She couldn't eat. All she could do was think about the _what-ifs_.

_What if she couldn't do it?_

_What if she was stuck?_

Every book led to nothing but another step closer to hysteria. She wanted to slap the apologetic look of off Harry's face, she wanted to scream at Ron who went out of his way to avoid touching her. She'd had to use tremendous self-control to only use the body bind on Nott.

She was losing her mind. She was scaring herself. She didn't even think it was safe to brew anything when she was this stressed.

_Are you out of your mind Granger? Take a calming draught or something_

Maybe she would. She couldn't believe Malfoy gave useful advice.

**A/N: Tell me what you think.**

**I'm glad so many people have favourited and followed this story, I'd love it if you guys could drop me a review too to tell me if you like where this is going!**

**Thanks so much TCWBE, SydneyStache, Luv1711, Nightraze. You guys rock and each and every review you write makes me feel really special. **


	11. Chapter 11

**Disclaimer: Anything canon is not mine.**

**Also, Thanks J.**

**A/N: Narcissa was born in 1955 but in this story she was born in 1963.**

Brown was a horrible colour on her.

Narcissa wished that she could have just Polyjuiced herself into another person instead of sullying her face by making it more mundane, but it was an auror event. They'd check for polyjuice but almost everybody used colour changing charms on themselves for special occasions.

Her hair had been dulled to a muddy brown; her eyes were no longer the distinctive Black grey but an uninspiring shade of blue. Her face was less symmetrical, her nose too large to balance the rest of her features. Narcissa Black had been considered by some as the most beautiful of the Black sisters, the ones that hadn't thought that Bella's dark beauty out shadowed her own, but now she was just passably pretty.

She apparated to the apparation point outside the ministry and walked the short distance to the ministry guest entrance. There was a bit of a line in front of the phone booth and Narcissa rued the necessity of keeping the entire endeavour a secret from Lucius. It was cool outside and she resisted the urge to shiver and pull her dull grey robes around herself.

_Never show them weakness Cissy_

"Verna Mayfield" she said in response the Ministry witch's cool inquiry, "for the auror graduation ceremony". She wasn't the only one who was headed that way. She recognized Pallavi Chopra who'd been five years ahead of her in Hogwarts. The man next to her was probably her husband Panchal Patil, the rich halfblood she'd married. She fastened the badge onto her robes and waited as the lift moved swiftly down.

"The Ministry of Magic wishes you a pleasant day", the woman welcomed them coolly and they moved out into the crowded Atrium. Pallavi Patil née Chopra looked out of a place amongst the dull robes of the masses. In her jewel toned, exotically cut robes she looked like gaudy bird. The outlandish robes scandalously revealed the smooth skin of her waist, which Narcissa completely disapproved of. She noticed Narcissa looking at her and she smiled uncertainly.

"Have we met before?" she asked unsure as they made her way towards the security desks. Narcissa lifted a regal eyebrow in response.

"I don't think so"

She seemed put off by the cool answer and sped up to join her impressively whiskered husband. The portly wizard just checked their wands, not checking if the wand actually belonged to Verna Mayfield. That would come later. They got in the lifts together and two owls swooped in after. They were just common barn owls, and she wrinkled her nose at them. It was dreadful that they were using these common birds in a building full of magic.

"Level two – Department of Magical Law Enforcement" said the cool female voice and Narcissa envied her composure. She was suddenly nervous that her sister would recognize her and have her arrested. There was no possibility of her succeeding, but the humiliation would remain with her and Lucius would know that she'd disguised herself to attend the auror graduation of the daughter of a bloodtraitor and mudblood.

She was a Black heiress. She was the youngest of the five- no, three- Black children. She would mingle with the common people, she would satisfy this irksome urge to do her duty by a family that was dead, disbanded and on the run and she would go back to her husband and son, the only real connections she had left.

There were two wizards guarding the nondescript door. They looked too young to be aurors, clearly fresh out of Hogwarts. In all probability they were trainees.

She let the Patils go before her, in a gesture misinterpreted as civility, but it gave her a chance to observe the security measures employed. As she'd suspected, they checked for polyjuice and dark objects. They also checked wands and Narcissa tightened her grip on the stubby chestnut wood she'd borrowed from a 'friend'.

"Name", said the first bored looking pimply wizard. Merciful Morgana, how someone with the ability to vanish skin problems went around with diseased looking skin like that, eluded her.

"Verna Mayfield" she replied in a pitch lower than her usual tone.

He cast a few lazy rudimentary detecting spells on her and nothing appeared to be out of place.

"Wand", he said in that same bored tone and she handed the chestnut to him, careful to not touch his skin. It passed their inspection and she collected equally carefully before waiting by the door. The men looked at her blankly and her annoyance turned into ire as she realized that they weren't going to open it for her. She controlled herself, she wasn't Lady Malfoy and besides these boys were clearly raised by trolls.

Looking as though she had meant to pause that long for no other reason than preference, she reached out and pushed open the door. She was greeted by fresh air that positively stank of magic. Someone had spelled the room to look like an outdoor meadow with a podium in the middle. Dozens of chairs were lined up in front of the podium covered in green fabric. Only a few were occupied in clusters, the rest of the populace were standing around and conversing with their peers. Snippets of conversation came to her as she surveyed the room.

". . . Larger number than usual . . . "

". . . Not my fault, Bertha needed. . ."

". . . Pushed up the graduation. Security for the cup . . "

" . . . Kelpie population. Need to talk t Amos . . . "

The spell work was abysmal. Narcissa wasn't very gifted with wand magic but she did have a greater than average ability to discern enchantments. Here and there she saw a shimmer of rupturing glamour. If one looked at the robin egg blue sky, at a certain point, from a certain angle, one could catch a glimpse of the uninspiring stone roof. This, along with the less than stellar security convinced her that the auror department was underfunded and underappreciated. It wasn't surprising. After the Dark Lord's death the magical population of wizarding Britain felt too safe to pay their protectors. This resulted in a department of fools and Auror Moody. Perhaps she could take the department under her wing, they had to be rewarded for their inability to pin war crimes on her husband.

She was so lost in her thoughts of the gullible, greedy fools that facilitated her current lifestyle that she wasn't able to prevent an unfortunately clumsy individual from colliding into her. Large, warm hands steadied her. She looked up at the perpetrator.

Tired blue eyes looked down at her. The man was strong; she could sense it in the gentleness of his grip which remained at odds with the latent power. His hair was a blonder version of what she'd charmed hers to be. His features weren't aristocratic or delicate but even and strong and for one horrific moment she felt an appreciation for him. Appreciation turned into disdain as she stepped back and saw his shabby robes that were worn open, revealing muggle clothes. Disdain turned to wariness as she recognized him.

It was ironic that as she was doing her duty by one banished member of her family she was reminded of another. Particularly when time had proved that he should have never been expelled, his crimes more appropriate under the Black banner than Bella's torture of purebloods.

The Black family name was dead, she reminded herself. You're a Malfoy, and you're in danger of getting caught.

The scrawny exhausted boy who used to quietly shadow her vibrant mad cousin had grown up into a man, but he could potentially recognize her. She didn't think it likely; she had been two years below them after all, a mere child. So she plastered on her coldest smile and prepared to walk away.

The man looked puzzled and he sniffed at her, to Narcissa's disgust. Didn't people have good breeding anymore? As she watched, the man's puzzled frown cleared away, but he now looked troubled, giving her a pensive glance. She raised her eyebrows in condemnation of his actions and he moved aside to let her go.

"Mad-eye, I need to talk to you" he said from behind her and she picked up her pace, her heart in her throat. Auror Moody was to have retired! Could he see through charms? Would he make a scene? She'd thought herself clever but now she might be well and truly exposed.

Before she could give in to panic, she saw someone who could only be her niece and the sight of her stopped her short. The girl had her mother's pale heart shaped face, the Black eyes and thick sable hair. She looked so much like Dromeda as a teenager that Narcissa felt a dizzying rush of nostalgia. But there were clear mistakes that stopped the girl from being an ethereal Black beauty. Her mouth was too wide and full, her ears a smidge too large to balance her delicate face. This was proof, she decided, that Dromeda had made a mistake. Dromeda had been promised to Lucius and her running off had concluded in Narcissa taking her place. Lucius' delicate features would have complemented the girl immensely, but now she was stuck with her father's plebian gifts.

She shifted her gaze and her breath caught. Standing next to the girl was her sister. Narcissa was astonished that she had not noticed her before this. Dromeda looked exactly the same and it was like a tripping jinx seeing her again, more so because she looked so much like Bella. She missed both her sisters, she missed her mother, she even missed the horrid parties at Grimmauld Place where her sisters and cousins excluded her from their activities because she was, in their opinion, entirely too young to be of any use.

She stared at her sister, decidedly ignoring the large man standing next to her. Ted Tonks didn't merit her attention, or her time. She had hated the man for twenty one years without meeting him; in her maddest moments she was convinced that he used a Love Potion to get her sister to betray her duty. She knew in her heart that it was a vain hope. Dromeda had run of her own free will, Tonks only gave her somewhere to run to.

The charm on her bracelet tingled and Narcissa was startled out of her bitter thoughts. The charm was spelled to tell her if any living creature had entered her private wing in the Manor. Lucius never set foot there and they hadn't managed to acquire a new house elf.

It was of no consequence, she was done. The sight of her sister reminded her of days long passed but it also reminded her of the interim where everything had changed. The fear of discovery only made it prudent that she retreat. Casting a furtive glance around her, she saw Auror Moody talking to Dromeda who looked up at that exact moment and the dawning recognition on her face made Narcissa turn around sharply and move out of the room. Open air gave way to stone corridors. She ignored the incompetent watch boy and his question "Leaving so soon, Ms. Mayfield?"

She walked as fast as she could without running and got into the lift. It was mercifully empty and what was even more fortuitous was that no one had followed her out. She flooed to the Leaky Cauldron in case she was being followed, walked to the apparation point and almost silently apparated to the Manor.

The creature that set off the wards was Draco's owl, which was unusual because Draco rarely wrote letters addressed to her solely. His letters were addressed to both his parents and were delivered promptly at the dining table. She also suspected that Draco wrote letters that Lucius received in private, addressed only to him. Draco worshipped Lucius and while she was sure that he loved her, he never had much to say to her.

He addressed her as Mother, as he had always done. In her mind she saw her cousin at the platform.

_"Bye Mum", a seventeen year old Sirius had grinned up at an auburn haired woman who was most definitely not Walburga Black. He hugged her with all the fondness he hadn't shown his own mother in a decade before bouncing off into the train for his last year at Hogwarts._

_"No Cissy", her mother had said when she caught her looking. "You're not to talk to him at all. I'm glad Walburga burned him off. Always a bit wild that boy. Regulus will make a much better Patriarch."_

_She'd not mentioned her own daughter whom father burnt off the tapestry six years before, when she'd run off with her mudblood lover. They'd watched Bella closely a year after that, clearly wondering if the sisters' physical similarities concealed similar loose morals. They needn't have bothered. Bella would have murdered her first born if it had associated with filth below its station._

She'd never been bothered by Draco's formality before. Seeing her sister had been a mistake, she was thinking odd thoughts and being maudlin.

_How can what she did be so wrong if she's so happy? _

Draco's handwriting was sloppy and agitated, clearly at odds with its nonchalant tone.

_Dear Mother,_

_I hope this reaches you in good health. I, myself, am in adequately good spirits having placed fourth in my exams. I reassure you that I shall perform better next year._

_A funny rumour reached me the other day, nothing concrete, just flimsy. It has prompted me to ask about Grandfather's health. I don't want to bother Father. He is no doubt very busy and I implore you to not trouble him on my behalf. _

_Yours Draco._

This letter made no sense. The only thing that was clear was Draco's wish to not involve Lucius.

Abraxas' health?

The Malfoy patriarch had been in perfect health the last time she'd seen him, a couple of months ago. She didn't make it a habit of engaging in conversation with her father-in-law. Abraxas had been a rigid blood purist, like her father. Only the complete matching of principles between Cygnus and Abraxas would have lead him to take accept Narcissa after her sister's defection. But the man had gone soft with the death of his wife, he no longer spouted his values but she assumed he still believed them. He lived in France most of the time, coming to London for the Upholding and Protecting Magic Association (known to its members as Pureblood Council) and coming to the Manor for Christmas and Draco's birthday. Abraxas was the Absolute, he held a position of considerable power.

Lucius taught Draco what it was to be a pureblood while the man who taught Lucius what it was to be a pureblood, taught Draco to fly at the age of four. She had watched silently, her heart in her throat, as Draco had taken to the air like a bird. He'd been secure but Narcissa was in no position to protest anyway. She was only Draco's mother after all and the daughter of a dead empire. After Bella's arrest she'd been scared that they'd throw her out, take Draco from her. She was so young, just eighteen but she could tell that Abraxas had regretted the alliance between their families. She suspected that only Lucius' intervention prevented her nightmare from becoming reality.

Whatever her personal feelings were about the man, Abraxas was adored by Draco. He was clearly worried.

She changed into robes of pale pink that brought out the gold in her hair and leaving Draco's letter, she made her way to her husband's office.

She knocked on his study door lightly and was bid to enter.

The room was spacious and a magnificent desk carved with the family crest dominated the center.

Narcissa stopped short when she realized Lucius was not alone. Standing before her was a small house elf wrapped in a pale blue pillow case. This was unmistakably Baguette, Abraxas' house elf.

"Ah, Narcissa" Lucius smiled and got up drawing up a chair for her. "You look resplendent; I thought I wasn't going to have the pleasure of seeing you today"

"You have been busy, Lucius. _I_ have been available" she murmured. Her tone was mock-reproachful.

"My dear, if it were up to me I'd spend every waking hour with you. It has been sometime since we have spent the night together. I hope when my duties become less pressing you will be able to oblige me", he smiled charmingly at her and she blushed.

They had not tried for a second child in years. The thought sobered her up. Draco had been the only child she had successfully carried to term and after the last time, two years before Draco had started Hogwarts, they had not tried again. The memory of that spectacularly failed pregnancy haunted her. She knew that Lucius had been unnerved too. For him to suggest such a thing meant that one of their many acquaintances was due for a pre-birth ritual that she'd no doubt be forced to attend.

"What is it doing here, Lucius?" she asked motioning towards the silent elf and diverting his attention. "Is something wrong with Abraxas?"

"He's in perfect health", Lucius did not look away as he was saying this and Narcissa was almost inclined to believe him. "It, however, will be working for us now".

That was when Narcissa knew. Abraxas would not simply give up his well-trained house elf because they were in need of one. Abraxas wasn't in perfect health.

Her father in law was dead.

**Your reviews blew me away!Thank you so much luv1711, BennyBabe, AetheriusStorm and JesseKnocks.**

**Pianomouse: This story should have lots of the Trio, Slytherins, Sirius, Remus, Tonks, Snape, etc. That's what I'm aiming for anyway. Glad you're enjoying it!Thanks!**

**TCWBE: Your reviews are a pleasure to read! Thank you.**

**SydneyStache: I'm glad I have you to keep me straight! I'm really really really really glad you liked it. Really really**

**Jigonagall: You reviewed every chapter! That's amazing! You rock!**

**Nightraze: I love your questions! Nott doesn't see H as a person really, not like Draco does. Draco is rivals with the trio forcing him to acknowledge them as people even if he doesn't respect them. One aspect of Abraxas' death is certainly to make Draco question himself and his individuality. As to other aspects, I'm feeling it out as I go along. I'm trying to flesh out the Greengrass sisters and give them character. Let me know if I succeed! Thanks for taking the time to review!**

**Lilyflower49: I love Dramiones! This has a good chance of becoming one but what is really important for me is that the fic is more than a Dramione. I have all these ideas in my head. Thank you so much for taking the time out to review. **

**Covered in Bruises: Draco isn't going to die in the next chapter. Or the next. Or the next. Or the next. Or-you get it. I hope you'll read anyway!**

**Brian1972: I always wanted Draco to know about H. I struggled a bit with justifying his decision to not blab and I know it shows. Ultimately though I settled on what I mentioned in the last chapter. D is suspicious that the person who bit H is someone who 'looks human' and will turn on him if he rats her out. He was determined to tell Lucius though. I'm glad you're enjoying the story and I found your feedback really helpful. Thanks! **


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N: I really am very sorry. If you're still reading this then thank you for being so patient. Lot's of things have happened and I lost faith in my story. This chapter isn't the best but after waiting so long I didn't know how to make it better. I'll thank all you lovely reviewers in the next chapter but a special shout out to SydneyStache, who looks out for me. **

Remus Lupin identified the brown haired witch as little Narcissa Black within five seconds of colliding into her. He stood around sniffing at her like the loon his Slytherin students called him, convinced that she smelt familiar but unable to place her. It hit him a few seconds later. This was Sirius' little cousin, the one that got promised to the ass Malfoy, when she was too young.

But they had been heavily involved with the war efforts and Sirius had wanted nothing to do with his family by then. The girl seemed willing and interfering wasn't worth their lives.

Lucius Malfoy had money and power. His wife had every door open to her. What was she doing sneaking around in disguise?

Before he could puzzle out more, he caught sight of the object of his efforts. He stepped aside and let the girl and her mysteries move past him but not before he was on the receiving end of a disdainful look.

He could have recognized her as a Black with just that.

"Mad-eye!" he called out. "I need to talk to you"

Mad-eye Moody looked just like he had three years ago, scared and battle-ready. Remus did not have the fondest memories of that visit, after all the man had come to warn him to stay away from his best friend's son now that Dumbledore was ready to bring him out of hiding. Moody had been kind, as kind as he was capable, but Remus had thrown a cream pitcher at him anyway. It was his second favourite blue pitcher and it was never the same again. Remus had many talents, reparo wasn't one f them.

Unfortunately Mad-Eye had retired a few weeks before Sirius' escape and Remus had to suffer through John Dawlish's questions and his prejudices against werewolves. Dawlish clearly implied that he thought Remus was in on it and while the implication had made him murderously angry back then, Dawlish couldn't be more right now.

"Lupin" Moody growled and his blue eye fixed on him with such intensity that he was sure Mad-Eye was looking for enchantments. "It's been a while". His eye clashed with the violently orange flowers some over-eager intern must have spelt all over the place. He didn't thing such a bright shade _existed_ in nature.

Moody's hair was greyer now but apart from that . . . "You've not changed"

"Retirement does that to you. You have. You look like you've aged ten years" he said bluntly.

He felt like he had aged a hundred. "I need a favour Mad-Eye", he admitted, "I figured trying to get in touch with you here was easier than trying to get into your home. Do your dustbins still attack visitors?"

"Yell my defenses out to the room, will you? My dustbins attack trespassers. Perfectly legal for me to defend my own home" he said slightly loudly as if trying to make a point to random passersby.

"I'm sure. Trespassers usually ring the doorbell your side of town? Because I do recall James getting knocked out by a dustbin lid when he called on you to invite you for his wedding"

"The damn boy had trampled all over my gardenias." Mad-eye studied his face now. "I doubt you've come to discuss James Potter, or . . . is this about his son?"

"Harry", Remus smiled. Despite the end to the year he spent with the boy he could not regret meeting and teaching Harry. "Harry is . . . strong and brave. Magically talented" he said thinking of how quickly Harry picked up the Patronus charm.

"Dumbledore asked me to teach next year. Which means you quit" Moody looked at him intently and the reason for his visit came rushing back. He thought he was going to be sick.

"You'll be a great teacher" he said, ignoring the unspoken question.

"I haven't agreed yet"

"We both know you'll go crazier, I mean crazy, cooped up and retired", he hoped Moody didn't notice the slip but the slight smirk on his gash like mouth told him otherwise.

"Spit it out, Remus" he said, his voice strangely soft.

"I need to find someone. I know you keep tabs on our old friends". Remus was talking about the Order but he figured that Moody would hex him if he said it out loud. Moody was silent, neither confirming nor denying it, so he continued. "She usually contacts me for research purposes but I have no way of contacting her. She told me about Dorcas", and here he gulped "and you and Dorcas were close. She researches Lycanthropy and I need her for something, Can you-?"

_Can you tell me where she is?_

Talking about his Lycanthropy was hard, asking for help, even more so. But he owed Hermione much more.

Moody examined him sharply and uncharacteristically nodded without asking any questions. He conjured up a piece of parchment and slipped it into Remus' hands.

At that moment they were interrupted.

"Wotcher Mad-Eye" said a cheerful voice and a familiar looking girl with dark hair sauntered up to them.

"Don't bother them Nymphadora", said an older lady behind her.

Nymphadora rolled her eyes. "It's just Moody, mum. Moody, meet my mother, Andromeda Tonks and my father, Ted Tonks"

Remus' eyes shot up to reexamine the older woman. The Tonks'? Sirius' cousin Andromeda? Suddenly both Narcissa's presence and appearance began to make sense. Andromeda hadn't noticed him, she was looking over his shoulder, transfixed. Remus looked back to see someone disappear out of the room.

"We've met before, sweetheart", Ted Tonks was saying, "That time when you'd broken your collar bone last year".

"Aurors lead dangerous lives" he inanely commented and the girl turned to look him in the eyes.

Her face was pale and her eyes were large, dark and expressive. Last time he'd seen her she'd been a kid who loved piggy back rides from her cousin Sirius. He felt old again. Old and wasted,

"I tripped on the stairs" she said and even though she sounded serious Remus figured that she was paying him back for his comment.

"Remus!" Andy sounded pleased and uncertain; she had clearly just recognized him. "It's been too long". She leaned forward to embrace him and he was surrounded by her scent. He hadn't appreciated how much alike the two sisters smelt till now, but then again he hadn't gotten the chance.

"It was her", he confirmed softly in her ear. Her grip tightened and then she suddenly let him go. She looked at him with wide eyes but he couldn't explain how he knew so he didn't say more.

Age had increased her beauty. People had been divided in their opinions on whether Narcissa or Bellatrix Black was the most beautiful Black sister, but to him, Andy's sweet ad welcoming light had made her look radiant.

"Hullo Ted", he nodded to the mellow man who had often had long winded discussions with James and Sirius on the Wasp's chances in the league.

"Do you remember my daughter?" Andy said proudly, "She's graduating today!"

"Congratulations Nymphadora. It must have been a strenuous three years" he said sticking his hand out to shake hers.

She took his hand and stepped closer. Her eyes were level with his mouth and as she stretched on her toes he automatically bent down to accommodate her. Her breath was warm and sweet against his ear and she spoke softly.

"I usually don't do this the first time I meet someone but you seem like a good friend of my parents and Moody"

Remus frowned, what did she want to say? Dark strands of her hair covered her pale and inviting neck and a particularly stubborn lock tickled his nose. Remus was about to blush at the turn his thoughts had taken but she spoke again and he fought to focus.

"If you ever call me Nymphadora again I'll hex your mouth closed."

Remus stepped back in shock and she stumbled forward, suddenly off-balance.

"Nymphadora!" her mother's sharp admonishment brought him down to earth.

"Oooh, Mum." She said. "If you hadn't named me something so horrific, I wouldn't have to correct so many people!"

"It's a pretty name", Andy sniffed. "And you shocked poor Remus. It was very improper of you"

"He does look like one good shock could finish him off" and she smiled widely at him, the brilliance of her smile taking the insult out of her words. He didn't know how to deal with her, he was too tongue tied.

"Don't go by what he looks like now. He's very good at defense. Trained him myself", Moody said proudly and Remus turned red at the compliment.

Nym- Ms. Tonks looked at him speculatively. "He's never sung praises of me"

"You don't need the encouragement"

She pouted and Remus blinked. Were her lips suddenly – fuller? It made her pout look dramatic, like the actress of an old muggle movie. He had to be imagining things, right? And it wasn't proper to stare at her lips. He wrenched his gaze away and turned to Mad-Eye, who looked amused.

"You abandoned me after two years of training. For retirement. You could at least say nice things about me"

"You had a good mentor", and Mad-Eye grinned at her, looking boyish despite his bizarre eye and his incomplete nose. She grinned back.

"Er- I should get going", he'd gotten what he came for after all. They said their farewells.

"Don't wait another decade Remus", Andy said and the Tonks family moved on ahead to catch seats. Nym- Ms. Tonks had her arm flung around Moody's shoulder, a sight which caused him to choke on air. With one indecipherable glance from Nympha- Ms. Tonks and a sympathetic one from Moody he left, his clothes saturated with Nymphadora Tonk's scent and his path highlighted with her aunt's.

His cottage was an isolated affair on the edge of the woods, perfect for a monster like him. It was dark and unwelcoming; the antithesis of what Hogwarts had been for the past year. The moment he entered, he froze. Someone was here.

It took barely a second for his nose to catch up to his other senses and he whirled around to face the shadows.

"Hey Moony", said Sirius Black.

**Harry felt a surge** of happiness. He felt euphoric, ebullient and victorious. He was also asleep.

Two minutes later he woke shuddering, scar burning and turned over and violently vomited next to his bed. He felt something knock over and heard the sound of breaking glass.

"Woz wrong?" Ron asked, sticking his head out of the hangings around his bed.

" I think –I think he's happy" Harry said, rolling of the bed onto the other side, ignoring the way the pounding in his head worsened. "Something's changed"

"What're you talking about?" Ron demanded sounding more worried than sleepy now. At the same time Dean spoke up.

"What's going on? Don't tell me you got up this early to pack mate!"

"Go back to sleep, you gits" yelled Seamus irritably.

"Are you-", Ron lowered his voice "Are you talking about You-Know-Who? Has Pettigrew-?"

"I don't know" the pounding in his head had lessened but it was still hard to think. Ignoring the worried red head, the mess he had to clean up and his unpacked bag he pulled on his school robes over his pajamas and made his way to the common room. He felt less ill and shaky by the minute but frustration wasn't a great substitute and he was practically vibrating with it.

The last day of term. He was no closer to helping Hermione than he was catching Pettigrew. Time had run out and by tonight he'd be back at the Dursleys, trapped and powerless. He hadn't even bothered to meet Dumbledore, after his bone chilling warning, Harry had been conflicted. Dumbledore meant safety, he always knew what to do, he had always supported Harry but now he felt like he never really knew the man at all.

His steps faltered as he entered the common room to see Hermione with her notes spread out in front of her. She was still in uniform but her robes had been crumpled and thrown to one side, her tie was undone and her shirt was horribly rumpled. Harry didn't think he could have been more worried about her than he was yesterday, with her skipping meals and scribbling furiously on her parchment, but this Hermione was worse. Her quill was clasped loosely in her hand but her face was vacant, she was just staring into space, shoulders slumped.

"Hermione?" Harry whispered. She didn't react. He clasped her shoulder and she blinked out of her stupor, her eyes taking time to focus on him. Her face was pale and her hair looked horrible, the brown mass knotted and limp.

"Harry?" she said and then struggled to get up. "What time is it?"

"Around six. Listen, I think you really need to sleep. Go upstairs, I'll pack this up for you."

"Six? In the morning? Professor Mcgonagall and I are leaving in an hour!"

"Wait-" said Harry said, taken aback. "So soon?"

"Professor Flitwick took over her duties for today. There's a bookshop in London run by a friend of the professor's. We need to get there before the shop opens to the public" she said. "I need to pack all this up" she looked distressed before she ran up the stairs to the girls dorm, presumably to get her trunk.

Harry stared up at where she'd disappeared, worried and bewildered. Then an idea hit him and he rooted about the mess for a spare bit of parchment and emerged victorious with that and a chewed up quill. Hermione never chewed her quills.

He sloppily wrote down the titles of the books lying about and after a split second's deliberation he wrote down a couple of book titles he'd seen Hermione ignore completely in their frantic days of reading through the entire library's worth of books on dark creatures and counter curses. The books had been about werewolves themselves, their habits and needs and Hermione hadn't touched them. He trusted her; she was smarter than anyone he'd ever known but as the next full moon drew near it seemed like she was behaving odder and odder. It was probably due to stress but if Hermione failed he needed to know how to help her. It didn't matter that he couldn't use his wand outside Hogwarts. He could owl order these books now and read them at the Dursleys.

He tucked the scrap into his pockets a split second before Hermione flew down the stairs. Her clothes were neater but nothing could disguise the circles under her eyes. She stuffed everything into her trunk willy-nilly, gave Harry an absentminded hand clasp and started towards the door.

"Wait!", Harry said, startled. The cool interaction was completely unlike her and the feeling of dread Harry had tamped down ever since he'd woken up, ever since his dream threatened to over whelm him.

"Yeah?" she turned around and he could see the impatience on her face.

There was a lump in his throat and for a sudden selfish moment he considered telling her about his dream. If a threat of Voldemort did not snap her out of it, nothing would. But he resisted, she didn't need more stress. He didn't want to mention waiting for Ron because even though Ron was hitting the books with them there was something weird going on there. So he just shook his head.

She gave him a distracted and distant smile before the portrait swung shut, just as Ron bounded down the stairs.

"I cleaned up for you. You alright mate? Maybe we should go to Dumbledore. He should know about this."

Harry found his voice. "You go to Dumbledore, I need to send an owl".

Umm. . . Please Review. If you don't hate me for the long wait.


	13. Chapter 13

_This chapter, late though it may be, is dedicated to the wonderful Alan Rickman._

_His legacy is not the sad, broken character that he made us fall in love with, but the extreme joy he gave us when he played him. _

**Their third pot of tea was getting cold.**

Remus never thought he'd feel so uncomfortable next to his best mate, ever. Murderously angry, betrayed , perhaps. Never awkward. He never thought he'd ever sit next to Sirius- to Padfoot- at and not have anything to say. The air was heavy and suffocating, the tea cooling in the early morning air and only the rough grain of the well worn table underneath his hands grounded him, as he sat facing the man he'd let rot in a hellish prison for twelve years.

Why had he thought that owling Sirius would make him feel better? Was it so he could face all his victims at once? Sirius was a victim of his cowardice, Hermione Granger a victim of his carelessness. He should have known that Sirius would come running back into the arms of the Ministry if he read Remus' letter.

Unlike Remus, Sirius had never abandoned his friends.

All this time he'd been fighting the monster in him, but letting the monster he _was_ roam free.

Sirius poured himself the last of the tea till the cup was nearly overflowing. His mother's favorite purple bowtruckle patterned teapot looked very strange in his best mate's gaunt hands. Then again, he supposed, it probably didn't look very at home in his own scarred hands either. The ginger newts Professor Mcgonagall had slipped him the morning of the fateful full moon had been polished off a long time ago. Sirius had inhaled the lot the moment he had set it down in front of him.

Remus' regret increased when he thought of his former head of house and colleague. He disgusted her now.

He got up to make another pot.

"Moony. Sit down", Sirius said finally breaking the silence. "I don't need more bloody tea. And neither do you"

Remus sat back down.

"Sirius, I'm sorry- I shouldn't have sent you that owl" he couldn't meet his eyes. "It was impulsive and foolish, forgive me."

Sirius got up abruptly almost knocking the old chair over. He started pacing the length of the too small room. And then he stopped just as suddenly.

"I'm glad you owled" he said, looking Remus in the eye. If you hadn't I'd be-"

"- safe", Remus cut in.

"Far away." He continued. "From Harry, from you. I never wanted to leave. I wanted to stay, clear my name."

"And you couldn't", Remus gulped. "Because of me. I let Peter escape. I let you rot in hell for over a decade"

Sirius brought his hands down on the table with a loud sound that nearly made Remus jump. His mum's teapot teetered at the edge and then hit the floor with a crash. Remus looked down at Sirius' hands, his skeletal fingers and grimy nails and felt like sobbing. His Sirius hadn't been a traitor but his Sirius was dead like James. The man standing in front of his was another casualty in a war that they were supposed to have won.

"What do you want Lupin? A best mate award? _I_ thought you were the spy, _I_ broke Harry's best friend's leg. _I_ left Harry alone and let Peter get the best of me that day", he all but yelled.

Sirius clutched at his stringy hair, hair that had once been his pride and joy. "It was my idea" he confessed. The same way he'd confessed in the shack that had once been the site of Remus' most painful moments. He had not known true pain then.

"It was my idea. James wanted me. Lily was convinced that it'd be too dangerous for me and that only Dumbledore could handle himself but James talked her out of it. Said that he trusted Dumbledore with his own life but there was no one he trusted more than me for her and Harry."

Remus ached to hear this. He could almost imagine Lily standing next to him murmuring worriedly.

"_Be safe Remus_" she'd whisper in his ear before he'd leave for months on end. They never knew where he'd go but she'd always tell him anyway. "_Be safe Remus. And come home to us_"

Sirius barked a humorless, desolate laugh. "They shouldn't even have trusted me with that bloody cat."

Wistfully, Remus wondered what happened to the cat James had hated but Lily had loved enough to take into hiding. Remus didn't know what to say. How to help him. _It wasn't your fault. _He wanted to say. It was true but sounded trite.

So he stretched out his hand across the well-worn table and grabbed on to Sirius like a lifeline. His skin was warm and dry and rough and pale under his.

"Mistakes. I've- We've – made too many" he said softly.

Sirius sat back down with a thump. Remus didn't know how much more of this his furniture would take before giving up like its owner.

"Too many mistakes." Sirius agreed. "But the girl, Hermione, isn't going to be one we ignore. You need to be with her, not here, moping"

"We can't fix what I've made her, Padfoot.", Remus sighed.

"Yes." Sirius agreed. But with a wave of his wand he fixed his mum's teapot. "But we can put her back together"

Remus smiled sadly and stroked the handle of the teapot. It had fused wrong and was a little off-center. It would never be the same. Neither would Sirius. Neither would Hermione Granger.

**The splash of colour** made the manor look all the more depressing, it emphasized the weedy grounds, and the guano stained window panes. Besides, the orange flowers looked like some poor soul had tried to redeem the place, and had failed miserably.

It was cold so far north, even in July.

Severus paused at the door and resisted the urge to straighten his robes. He'd been travelling for days, trying to track that filthy rat and had ended up losing his trail somewhere in Bulgaria. In all probability the worm was heading to Albania where the dark Lord was last rumoured to be. But the forests of Albania were dark and dangerous and he couldn't go romping through them like some kind of mindless Gryffindor.

"_I don't like this place, Severus_" his Lily whispered. He was finding it harder and harder to summon her from his mind, a part of him resisted bring her to the dark filthy places he went to, to find the traitor. A part of him recognized that he needed the memory of her now more than ever, while he was walking down the roads a younger Severus had walked.

The knocker was placed below an eroded family crest that resisted encryption. He didn't bother, the Mulcibers weren't known for their positive family leanings.

A thin tall house elf in a burlap sack opened the door.

Severus looked down at him disdainfully. "I assume Lord Mulciber is home?"

He had to be. A year before the Dark Lord had fallen, Lord Mulciber had been mowed down by a member of the Order. The Dark Lord had murdered her in retaliation.

"Master is not receiving"

Severus did not have the patience to be subtle. He pulled up his left sleeve. The elf disappeared with a crack. Severus did not bother to wait for his return, he walked in.

He'd been to the Manor before, as a guest of the Mulciber heir who was currently rotting in Azkaban. The house had even been a temporary base for them at the height of his Lord's powers. The Manor hadn't been the dilapidated ruin it was now but an ancient ancestral home befitting the Mulciber name. Surfaces had gleamed, down to the manacles in the very occupied dungeons and a team of house elves had served up succulent meals. He made his way to what used to be the throne room and was unsurprised to be greeted by the sight of rich faded furniture, the largest of which was occupied by Lord Mulciber himself.

The man was literally half of what he had once been. One eye was hollow, the eyelid shut over it. His right hand ended at the elbow and both his legs were stumps. His left hand adorned by his mark was holding the wand pointed straight at him.

"My Lord" Severus murmured and swept into the most efficient bow he could manage. If he had not come for information, he wouldn't have bothered inclining his head to this relic of an evil man.

"Snape", Mulciber spat. His left hand was shaking with hatred or exhaustion. "What is Dumbledore's lapdog doing here?"

Severus had hoped that the years would have dimmed Mulciber's love for his absent master. He was disappointed.

"My Lord" Severus tried again, "It is good to see you"

Mulciber's lips curled. "I can't say the same", but something in his eyes made Severus believe that he was enjoying this, if only for the human company he had been forced to eschew for years.

"Regardless, It does not change my feelings"

Mulciber laughed, a sharp unpleasant sound. "You were born to lick the shoes of greater men, Snape. First the Dark Lord and then the fool who opposed him. Did the fossil get tired of you already? Are you looking for another bastard to betray?"

"I'm looking for the traitor, My Lord."

"I'm looking at him."

Severus tried not to roll his eyes. This was going nowhere.

"The traitor who directed us to the Potter's house on Halloween."

Mulciber leaned back as much as he was able.

"Pettigrew?"

Severus felt a cold rush of hatred. This man had known. This man had known all along that the wrong bully was being punished and as much as he wished Sirius Black had rotted on that hell, it meant that Pettigrew, who had been Lily's friend, had been free to be cosseted by a brood of Weasleys.

Mulciber hadn't noticed his seething rage. Well, Severus had been a spy.

"Heard that the little rodent got himself blown up by the Black heir. Good riddance" he sighed.

So Pettigrew hadn't been to visit. Not as a human, at least.

"I always wondered how a vicious wench like Walburga ended up with a mudblood lover for an heir and a coward for a spare." Then his bloodshot eye focused on Severus again. "My boy told me you never got along with them, despite you being both."

Severus wouldn't give him the pleasure of a reaction but that only made Mulciber grin nastily.

"The Dark Lord told me what you asked of him. How you begged for the life of another man's mudblood. Didn't he put her down like a dog anyway?"

"You should be familiar with the Dark Lord's infidelity, My Lord. After all, didn't you ask for the Meadows girl after she left you like this? Didn't you want to torture her to force her to reverse the spell? I heard that he didn't even hesitate to kill her" Severus said, affecting a bored tone.

Mulciber growled and Severus allowed a small smirk to seep through his impassive façade.

"Is that why you still work for Dumbledore? Fresh mudbloods every year?"

"Tell me, my Lord. What will happen to the family title now that your heir is sharing a cell with Rabastan in Azkaban? Is Meadows' daughter going to inherit your name? She does share her mother's views, does she not?"

"_Cruci-_" Mulciber snarled but Severus merely sent a mild stinging hex that hit Mulciber's hand forcing him to drop the wand. The childishness of his defense would only serve to add flame to the fire of his wrath.

"The Dark Lord will return, halfblood! He cannot die! And my son will be rewarded!"

"If your Lord does return you will be as useless to him as you were before" he said calmly. "_Obliviate_".

He left the Lord of the Manor drooling in his too large chair. He hadn't learnt much, that the Dark Lord had taken precautions to defy death before his fall wasn't shocking or out of character.

He walked past the house elf who had made no move to prevent him from harming his master. Just as he exited the house, his mark burned.

Severus stared bewildered at his biggest mistake, now clearer than it had been for the last thirteen years. And he knew with bone chilling certainty that he was too late. Pettigrew had rejoined the master he had betrayed everyone for. He had been as powerless to defy Trewlany's second prediction as he had been for the first.

"_Serus._" Lily said with tears in her eyes. "_You have to let it go. Keep my son safe instead of trying to resolve a thirteen year old murder. How long will you keep me with you_?"

"Always." He said.

**I have a tumblr account now, with no idea what to do with it. I haven't even posted stuff yet but I thought it'd be a good way to reach out to people who are interested in this story.**

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**AngelFromBeyondBelow: Narcissa is a morally ambiguous badass. I don't think she's blameless but I do think that she is a force to be reckoned with. She just has to get there. **


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